By Rev. Mel C. Montgomery
In Charismatic circles today we have many prophets of Balaam, and few prophets of God.
The story of Balaam forces us to face up to the disconcerting fact that false prophets can actually prophesy under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Yeah, I know that’s hard to believe, but look closely at the story of Balaam:
After wandering in the wilderness for 40 years because of their unbelief and disobedience, Moses led the Children of Israel in the direction of the Promised Land. To get to the actual land, they would have to pass through the lands of three major tribes: the Moabites, the Midianites, and the Edomites.
God acknowledged the rights of these tribes to their lands because the Midianites were descended from Abraham through his second wife, the Edomites were descended from Esau, and the Moabites were descended from Lot. God specifically told Moses to leave these tribes alone, ask for permission to pass through their land, and to pay for any resources they used along the way. However, all three tribes refused to allow the Jews to pass through their lands, causing them much hardship and forcing them to take what appears to have been a substantial detour.
Balaak, king of Moab had nothing to fear from the Jews, yet he feared them anyway. Knowing that he could not defeat them militarily, he chose to try to fight them spiritually by hiring Balaam.
Balaam was evidently a member of one of these tribes, possibly Midian.
And he had a well-known reputation. As King Balaak put it:
“…I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”–Num. 22:6.
Evidently, Balaam had enjoyed some success in pronouncing blessings or curses upon people. He wasn’t just a faker.
The first characteristic of Balaam: He operated to a certain extent in genuine spiritual power.
Numbers Chapter 22 records King Balak of Moab sending messengers to Balaam, asking him to come and curse Israel.
The second characteristic of Balaam: He managed to draw to himself the attention of powerful people.
Balaam had a King seeking his favor and help.
The third characteristic of Balaam: He was unaware of what God was really doing in the earth in his generation.
He had the attention of men, but not the attention of God. He knew how to manipulate people and events through spiritual power, but he did not know the major move of God that was going on in his day, and did not care to know.
You see, God had already told Moses not to bother the Moabites, Midianites, or the Edomites. King Balak had nothing to fear, and Balaam knew this. Balam could have advised the King to grant the request of Moses, and to even greet the Jews with bread and water. This would have kept God from commanding Moses to slay them later. (Deut. 23:4).
But giving the King that kind of wise spiritual advice, and partaking in the move of God, would not have put gold in Balaam’s pocket.
The fourth characteristic of Balaam: self-centeredness.
Any action that did not enrich Balaam, exalt him in the eyes of men, or benefit him in some way, was simply not going to happen.
Sadly, many ministries of all sizes are exactly like Balaam. The will partner with another minister, invite him, or minister for him, if and only if they see a considerable profit in it for themselves.
Think about ”prosperity preachers,” by which I mean ministers who don’t just preach prosperity as a part of their overall message, but who preach nothing but money, money, money everywhere they go. You’ll see them all the time get a “revelation” to fly across the land and donate thousands of copies of their books to a major ministry. Why? Well, in addition to being “led to,” that major ministry will in turn invite them to be on their TV program, or minister at their big convention.
In 25 years of being in this faith, I have NEVER seen a prosperity preacher get “a revelation” to pass his books out free to the poor in the ghetto, the projects, or to the homeless. After all, if supernatural prosperity does actually come in response to applying the principles they teach in their books, why wouldn’t they want to target their books to the ones who desperately need it? You want the truth? Because that won’t benefit them, make them better known, or put money in their pockets.
The story continues with the messengers from the King bringing ”the rewards of divination in their hand,” and giving Balaam this money in return for considering the King’s request. The act of offering a prophet or a seer an offering of some sort is no clear indication of spiritual wrongdoing. For instance, young Saul brought Samuel the Prophet an offering of money when he came to inquire of him where his father’s donkeys were. (I Sam. 9:7,8).
Balaam asked the Lord for permission to curse Israel.
And God, not the Devil, answered him:
“You shall not go with them: you shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.”–vs. 12.
This shows us the fifth characteristic of Balaam: He actually did know God.
Balaam obeyed the Lord, and told the messengers:
“…the Lord refuses to give me leave to go with you.”–vs. 13.
King Balak sent more honorable messengers to Balaam with what we would call today “a blank check.”
“…I will promote you unto very great honor, and I will do whatsoever you say unto me: come therefore, I pray you, and curse me this people.”–vs. 17.
Balaam told them,
“If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.”–vs. 18.
Up to this point in the story, Balaam is acting in complete spiritual integrity. He asks God what to do, obeys Him, and does nothing more or less.
Balaam asks God again for permission to curse Israel, and God gives him a very clear direction:
“If the men come to call you, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto you, that shall you do.”–vs. 20.
Here Balaam makes his first mistake.
In the morning, Balaam did not wait for the men to call him. He just jumped on his donkey and went right along with these messengers. He did so because he was greedy for the money they offered him.
The sixth characteristic of Balaam: greed.
We all have to make a living. The bills have to be paid, and we have families for which we must provide. There are always natural considerations involved with ministry. But don’t ever allow offers of money to be the deciding factor in what meetings you accept, what books you write, what tapes you record, or who you bless.
The story continues with the account of the angel coming to kill Balaam. He didn’t see the angel, but his donkey did. The donkey tried to avoid the angel two times, but by the third time she could dodge him no longer. The donkey collapsed and refused to go any further. Balaam beat her. God opened the donkey’s mouth to talk back to Balaam, and then Balaam finally saw the angel, and fell down on the ground before him.
The angel said:
“Wherefore have you smitten your ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand you, because your way is perverse before me: And your ass saw me, and turned from me these three times; unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain you, and saved her alive.”
Balaam’s greed was “perverse” in the eyes of the angel, and nearly cost him his life. His death was prevented only by the actions of his donkey. The donkey had more spiritual sense and discerning than did the prophet.
Over the centuries money has blinded many genuine prophets, leading them astray, and causing their premature deaths.
William Branham, the prophet at the forefront of the Healing Revival of the 1940’s and 1950’s, operated in a genuine gift from God for the early years of his ministry. Then he became intoxicated and deceived by money, attention, and the flattery of people. He wandered off into false doctrine, and died before his time. Driving home one night after a series of meetings, he perceived no danger. The Seer ”saw” nothing. But just over the hill was a drunk driver who slammed head-on into Branham’s car, killing him instantly.
Like Balaam, Branham, never “saw” death coming.
Balaam repented, saying to the angel:
“I have sinned; for I knew not that you stood in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease you, I will get me back down.”–vs. 34.
The angel gave Balaam permission to continue, but warned him:
“…but only the word that I shall speak unto you, that you shall speak.”–vs. 35.
Balaam met King Balak, and tried three times to place a curse on Israel.
Notice how Balaam specifically approached God.
Three times, he had the King’s people build seven altars upon which he offered seven bullocks. The blood of these animals covered their sins, and the offerings were supposed to entreat God’s favor.
God did not ignore this process. Each time the sacrifices and offerings were offered, God Himself showed up and actually talked with Balaam!
The Seventh Characteristic of Balaam: He knew how to get into the manifested presence of God.
But each time he spoke, rather than being able to speak a curse, he found himself prophesying a blessing over Israel by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Num. 23:5,16, and 24:2).
Unable to curse Israel, Balaam departed. Had the story ended here, we could say nothing against Balaam. But evidently Balaam could not resist the offers of money, because at this point or later, Balaam told the King how to defeat Israel.
Balaam knew that Israel was under the favor and blessing of God. In this place of divine favor, no curse would work against them, and no king could defeat them. For King Balak to defeat Israel, they had to be led into sin and disobedience to God. So Balaam gave King Balak the key.
The eighth characteristic of Balaam: secretly unscruplous.
Once he was not in the manifested presence of God, he used his spiritual knowledge of the ways of God to betray Israel to King Balak.
Christ refers to the actions of Balaam in Rev. 2:14:
“…Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.”
God’s Word in the Law of Moses was already crystal clear. The Jews were to have nothing to do with idolatry or false gods, and were not to intermarry or interact much with the pagan cultures around them.
Balaam counselled King Balak to entangle the Jews with the worship of other gods, and sexual sin with the heathen inhabitants of the land.
And indeed, King Balak followed Balaam’s advice to the letter:
“And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom witht he daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods…and the anger of the Lord was kindled against them.”–Num. 25:1-3.
The plan of Balaam and Balak was only partially effective. Idolatry and fornication did not bring the Jews completely out from under the protection of God’s grace, but it did loose a plague in their midst that killed 24,000.
The ninth characteristic of Balaam: causing people to disobey the clear directives of God’s written Word.
He taught Balak how to lead the Jews into disobedience. And he reaped what he had sown. Balaam later died by the sword, killed by the Children of Israel along with the rest of the Midianites.
Although Balaam died, his errors lived on.
We see the spiritual successors to Balaam alive in the Early Church.
The entire second chapter of II Peter is Peter’s written warning about false prophets in the Church of his day. He wrote:
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies…
…And many shall follow their pernicious ways…
…And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you…
…Presumptous are they, selfwilled…
…[they] speak evil of the things that they understand not…
…..Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness…
…..they speak great swelling words of vanity…
…while they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption…”
Wow.
Either say, “Amen!”
Or say, “Ouch!”
Sounds like many of our so-called “prophetic services,” or most of the latest Charismatic books doesn’t it?
Let’s look at a few of the fruit of the Prophets of Balaam:
- False teachers….damnable heresies–I’ve lost count of how many new “revelations” have been embraced by our movement over the last 20 years which upon being compared later with Scripture proved to be unscriptural and absurd.
- Many shall follow–These now disceditied teachings of yesteryear drew tens of thousands to conferences, built mega-churches, sold millions of books, and made many ministers fabulously rich. New versions of these teachings allure millions of us Charismatics today. Few saw through the error then, and fewer see through it now.
- Through covetousness…make merchandise of you–When did you see the latest ”anointed” minister’s books or tapes offered for free? Premium anointing comes only at premium prices. What miracle have you not been promised in return for a big offering? You are their cash register.
- They understand not–Their writings and materials reflect a complete misunderstanding of most major parts of the Gospel and the believer’s relationship with God.
- Speak great swelling words of vanity–How many times have you been given prophecies which tell you that ”you will prophesy to kings and to nations…” Or, “…God has a great, great work for you…” Or, “The anointing of Elizabeth shall come upon thee, and thou shalt birth out the next great move of God…” Dozens of times? How many kings and nations have you prophesied to so far? There is a big difference between between a word of vanity coming from a Prophet of Balaam, and a prophecy of God coming from a genuine man or woman of God.
- They promise them liberty…they are the servants of corruption–What’s the great new revelation this month that is going to set everyone free? Various conferences promise you any kind of breakthrough you want. Just attend, give big, and walk away delivered! Sadly, behind the scenes, many of these ministries at the forefront of our movement, are the most greedy, unloving, treacherous people you will ever encounter–when the cameras are turned off.
In the Book of Revelation, Christ warned the Church at Pergamos that the Prophets of Balaam were in their midst:
“But I have a few things against you, because you have there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel…Repent; or else I will come quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth…”–Rev. 2:14-16.
They were present in the Early Church, in the Church at Pergamos, and they are in our midst today.
My brothers and sisters, I’ve walked in the prophet’s anointing since 1989 when Sister Goodwin laid her hands on me. And I have known other true prophets.
I can tell you this about the prophet’s anointing:
No one buys it. No one can sell it to you.
No one can earn it. No one can increase it for you.
Either God calls you to it, or He does not.
You can not get it out of a book or off a tape.
A prophet can not tell you what you want to hear.
He can only tell you what you need to hear.
It operates as the Spirit wills, not as you and I will.
It demands sacrifice and faithfulness.
It’s companions are humility, love, and obedience.
There are no shortcuts.
During his life as recorded in Numbers, we are given no title by which to call Balaam. He is not called a true prophet or a false prophet. He is not called a sorcerer or a magician. Then years pass, the Children of Israel come into the Promised Land, and Joshua grows old. Towards the latter part of Joshua’s life, God speaks to Joshua and mentions Balaam, for the first time identifying what he was. The Lord says:
“Balaam alsot the son of Beor, the soothsayer…” –Joshua 13:22.
Balaam had genuine spiritual power. He knew God and interacted with Him. He understood the need to approach God through the blood of animal sacrifices. And his spiritual power almost always produced tangible results. But when you sum it all up, this all added up to Balaam not being a true prophet, but actually a soothsayer.
The Tenth Characteristic of Balaam: He was not a prophet of God. He was a soothsayer.
What is a “soothsayer?” Bible dictionaries and lexicons define this term in a variety of ways. Some equate it with telling the future by omens or astrology. Others define it in the more severe term of sorceror.
I believe Balaam was what I would call–for want of a better term–”a sensitive.” He was sensitive to the spiritual realm, and he knew how to operate in it.
Most of the time, he was dealing with pagans. In authority over various heathen tribes and peoples, were different kinds of evil spirits. He knew how to appease various devils in order to curse or bless this or that. But when he dealt with Israel, it was a different case entirely. He knew he wasn’t dealing with devils here.
He was dealing with the One True God, Jehovah, who had walked with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and so on. And Balaam was dealing with not a heathen tribe, but with the true People of God. He could not just haul off and curse or bless them like he did other people. God was too big for that.
So he approached God through animal sacrifices and burnt offerings. Not only did God refuse to allow Balaam to curse Israel, the Holy Spirit acutally came upon Balaam and he prophesied under the power of the Spirit three times.
We are left with this uncomfortable fact:
Balaam was equally comfortable operating in the power of God or the power of the Devil.
Such would seem impossible, but here we have it. Balaam prophesied from time to time under the power of the Holy Spirit, and at times through evil spirits, and God called the totality of his ministry ”soothsaying.”
A warning:
My brethren, much of what I’m seeing in Charismatic and “Prophetic” services is not the ministry of a prophet at all.
I see many “Christian Sensitives”–Christian individuals who are sensitive to spiritual matters–ministering in our midst, and calling themselves prophets.
They are operating sometimes in the power of God, and sometimes in the power of evil spirits. They are equally comfortable in either realm. The majority of them, I sincerely believe, are unaware that they are operating in both realms.
These Christian sensitives, or soothsayers, are just so wide-open to spiritual manifestations that they assume that everything that is supernatural and has a somewhat religious feel to it, is God. They are also so unknowledgeable of God’s written Word that they have no real basis by which to judge these manifestations.
Soothsayers or sensitives are sensitive to spiritual promptings and manifestations. They are usually born with this ability, or have it awaken at a young age. If they never are born again and never grow in a clear knowledge of God’s Word, they develop into psychics, mystics, channellers, and mediums.
I think Jeanne Dixon, Edgar Cayce, and other famous psychics of years gone by, along with those prominent on the national scene today such as Jonathan Edwards, are what the Bible calls “soothsayers” or what I would call “sensitives.” They did not actively seek to obtain satanic power. They were born with a sensitivity, never got born-again, came under occult influences, and developed in the direction of psychic powers.
They have fallen for Satan’s deception. They think they are receiving their information from “spirit guides,” which they believe to be angels, deceased wise humans, or other benevolent spirits. Actually they are receiving this knowledge from what the Bible calls “familiar spirits”–evil spirits that are familair with different situations.
Think about it, evil spirits have been around for thousands of years. They never sleep. So they have been able to observe many people and situations over the years. And they have the ability to mimick or take on the appearance of others. So when they communicate with psychics, they can put on a very convincing act of appearing to be someone’s dead loved one, or some great mystic or sage that has passed into the “great beyond.”
I’ve never heard of any psychic who believes that he or she is operating through the power of the Devil. All their “readings” or what the Bible would have termed “sooths” seem to help people, reveal hidden knowledge, many times accurately predict the future, and explain the unexplained. So they assume this is God. It is not.
What I have termed ”Christian sensitives” are those who were born with a spiritual sensitivity or had it come at an early age. They accepted Christ, but never had any extended training or exposure to the true power of God, and the sound doctrines of the Word of God. They have simply taken this sensitivity, gone forward with it, and assumed that every vision or revelation is of God. So, sometimes through this spiritual sensitivity, they perceive revelation from God, such as a Word of Knowledge or a Word of Wisdom. But they accept all sensations equally, and unknowingly perceive revelation from the Enemy, such as fortelling the future through psychic power.
They are equally comfortable in both realms: God and familiar spirits.
However, it is equally true that Christian sensitives don’t have to operate in the realms of both the Holy Spirit and psychic powers. Some can and have developed into fully Holy-Spirit ministries:
- If their exposure to psychic influences is very limited or non-existent.
- If they continously submit to sound doctrine and the solid teachings of God’s Word.
- If they are continually exposed to leaders who are operating in the genuine power of God.
- If they will judge their experiences and reject those that are unscriptural.
Under these conditions, a Christian sensitive can develop into a spiritually pure prophetic office, and God may even use them very prolifically in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
I am alarmed to see Christian sensitives, Christian soothsayers, Christian Prophets of Balaam, operating in a widespread manner in our services today.
Brother Hagin warned of this very same problem in a minister’s meeting I attended in 1991. He said:
“Much of what I see manifesting in Charismatic churches today is inspired by evil spirits and not the Holy Spirit and most people do not know the difference.”
In Conclusion:
The strong similarities between many “prophetic” ministries that have arisen in the last few years, and Balaam are:
- They operate to a certain extent in genuine spiritual power. There is a sprinkling of undeniable results.
- They draw to themselves the attenion and favor of powerful people. Some of today’s prophets, apostles, healing evangelists, etc., are the darlings of Hollywood, politics, the rich, and other completely worldly forces. Reaching out to the lost is far different than being entirerly at home, endlessly, among completely unrepentant people.
- They are unaware of the true move of God’s Spirit in our generation. They bounce from one “revelation” to another chaotically, while most of what they are preaching is actually the opposite of what God is really doing in our midst.
- They are absolutely self-centered. They do the majority of their “giving” only into other major ministries that will reciprocate by inviting or blessing them in return. You’ll never see a “nobody” speak at their big campmeeting, and almost never see one appear on their TV program.
- Many of them are actually born-again and know God to a certain extent. I do believe that most of the prophets and out-of-balance ministers today have genuine Christian testimonies, but have very shallow and immature relationships with the Lord.
- Greed will be their consuming passion. If you contact them when the TV lights are off, and the crowds are gone, they simply are not interested in any ministry venture that doesn’t put alot of money in their pocket, or that doesn’t raise their profile.
- They know how to get into the manifested presence of God. Some are actually tremendous exhorters. They are experts at shouting, screaming, and praising the glory down.
- They may appear to be ethical, but secretly they are unscruplous. They avoid revealing their salaries and incomes, and their ministry is the family business where every kinfolk they have is on the payroll.
- They will cause people to disobey the clear commands of God’s written Word. Their “revelations” flatter and exalt man, and urge believers into extremes on financial giving, fasting, prayer, and other areas.
- When you sum up all their spiritual activity, it does not add up to being a genuine prophet but to actually being a soothsayer.
Jesus warned us,
“By their fruits ye shall know them.”–(Mat. 7:20).
My brethren, when the genuine prophet’s anointing comes into manifestation, it is beautiful and life changing.
Unfortunately, we are swamped today in Charismatic circles with many Prophets of Balaam, and few true prophets of God.
Just because a prophet is prosperous, does not make him a prophet of Balaam.
Just because a prophet misses it in some small detail of a prophecy, doesn’t make him a prophet of Balaam.
Having the attention of powerful people, in and of itself, does not make one a false prophet.
A false prophet, prophet of Balaam, a Christian soothsayer, is one who meets most, if not all of the above characteristics.
Copyright 2006 Mel C. Montgomery All Rights Reserved. Material may be copied and shared with others as long as it is done so without charge, in entirety, and if attribution is given.
