Prophet Balaam has a rather peculiar history as a diviner and a Biblical character. Though he was instrumental in shaping the perception of the Israelites, his story and character remain obscure. According to the Old Testament, Balaam was encouraged by King Balak to curse the Israelites (Schnittjer 426). However, after having a vision of the Angel of the Lord and observing a miracle of a donkey speaking, Balaam changed his mind and voiced his support for the Israelites (Numbers 22: 21-38, The Bible. New international Version).
In turn, Peter, Jude, and John used Balaam’s persona to teach their readers about the threat of falling into the sins of idolatry and sin. Namely, Peter claims that Balaam left the way of virtue and stepped onto the path of sin (Peter 2:15). A similar sentiment is expressed in the Gospels of Jude and John (Jude 1:11; John 11:51, The Bible. New international Version).
Furthermore, archeology offers a slightly different perspective on Balaam. Specifically, archaeological studies of the mysterious Tel Deir ‘Alla tablets in Jordan outline the impressive changes in the public perception of Balaam. Explaining that people’s interpretation of his persona changed from mostly neutral to “overwhelmingly negative,” archaeologists specify that the discourse around him has been focusing on his contribution to the plight of the Israelites (Steinmeyer par. 1). Therefore, Balaam proves to be a highly controversial and complex character.
Remarkably, Balaam as a prophet has been discussed later as the core events shaping Christianity were examined. Specifically, Flavius Josephus represents Balaam in a rather positive light, explaining his contribution to the support of the Israelites’ plight and calling him “the greatest of the prophets at that time” (Flavius Josephus 655). Philo Judeus expressed a similar idea, which is indicative of a gradual change in Balaam’s perception (Philo Judeus 85).
Overall, the teachings about Balaam promote the importance of true believing, as well as the need to refrain from sin and temptations leading to it. The changes in the interpretation of Balaam’s character prove the importance of maintaining firm beliefs and promoting truth and honesty. Therefore, applying the story of Balaam to the present-day context, one could teach people about the importance of believing and being consistent and firm about it.
Works Cited
Flavius Josephus. The Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated by William Whiston, M. A. Ward, Lock, & Co., Limited, 1878. Web.
Philo Judeus. The works of Philo Judaeus. Translated by C. D. Yonge, B. A., George Bell & Sons, 1800. Web.
Schnittjer, Gary Edward. The Torah Story: An Apprenticeship on the Pentateuch. Zondervan Academic, 2006.
Steinmeyer, Nathan. “Who Is Balaam Son of Beor? Part Two.” Biblical Archaeology, Web.
The Bible. New international Version. Zondervan, 1983. Web.