Today's Reading: Numbers 22:1-21

You Can't Curse What God Has Blessed

The children of Israel have moved and are now camping in the plains of Moab just across the Jordan River from Jericho.  When Balak, the king of that region, saw the huge mass of Israelites that had...

invaded his land, he viewed them as a threat to his kingdom and became exceedingly fearful.

Balak, along with his advisors, launched a scheme to thwart Israel by bringing a curse upon them.  He believed he could inflict harm upon God's people by speaking words of misfortune and doom.  So, he hired a man named Balaam, a diviner from Pethor, to pronounce a curse.  He would be handsomely rewarded by the king for his service.  And, so, Balaam agreed.

But God had other plans!  In fact, God spoke directly to Balaam and told him not to go and curse the Israelites.  After that, Balaam tried to talk his way out of his agreement, but king Balak persuaded him to do it. 

Here we see a man on the fence.  On one side, he is drawn to the offer of rewards and riches from the king.  On the other side, He is warned by God to abandon this plan.  Balaam vacillates.  He looks for a loophole.  He decides to move forward with Balak's plan despite of God's warning.

Balaam hasn't yet learned that you cannot curse what God has blessed.  And its the same for me and you.  As followers of Christ, we are God's people and have been blessed by Him.  His eye is upon us and He has "blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3).  No matter what our enemy seeks to do to us, he will not prevail.  God will thwart his plans.  Others may rise up who seek to bring us misfortune and doom because of God's hand upon us.  But, remember, you cannot be cursed because you have been blessed by the Almighty!

And Satan cannot curse what God has blessed!