Being used by God

March 8, 2008

A few months ago, my pastor in a sermon tried to say that someone could not be walking with the Lord but that the Lord could still use him. I was a little bit skeptical but I took what he said on faith and let it go. I knew that somehow God would reveal it to me one way or the other. Today's reading has two little sentences in it that seem to be there just as filler. Everything in the Bible is put there for a reason.

To start with, go back a few days readings and you will find the story of Balaam. I had always assumed that he was a man of God that had gotten away from the Israelites, or that God had revealed Himself to Balaam somehow. Anyway, Balaam is called to curse the Israelites but God will not let him. In fact the Spirit of God takes over and he blesses the people instead. At the end of the story he returns to Midian.

We do not hear from him for a few chapters, and even then, his mention is so brief.

Numbers 31:8-16 KJV
(8) And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.
(9) And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods.
(10) And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire.
(11) And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of beasts.
(12) And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho.
(13) And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp.
(14) And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle.
(15) And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?
(16) Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.

Balaam gets mentioned twice here. Once in verse 8 as he is mentioned that he is killed with the 5 kings. The other is in verse 16. The people of Israel were lured to turn to a false god. Why? Because Balaam had given the Midianites council on how to get them not to follow God.

Balaam was not the God fearing man that I thought he was. He as just a person that was in the place that he was and was used by God. God can use anyone to get His will met. I am sure that He would prefer to use Christians. He does not have to. Jesus even pointed out to not stop those who were not from Him but teaching in His name. He knew that only good could result.

I guess my pastor was right. I know that if I fail in what God has called me to do, someone else can step in. I also know that I will face God in the end and have to justify it. How about you? Is some non-Christian doing your job?

Read through the Bible in one year in Historical order
Today
Numbers 31:1-32:42
Tomorrow
Numbers 33:1-34:29
http://tinyurl.com/24beby for a daily reading tool