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Apples of Gold
Radio Script for February 20, 2009
“At What Price Will I Compromise?”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
Moses was leading the nation of Israel toward the Promised Land.
As they came to the plains of Moab, Moab’s King Balak just about wet his pants.
Israel was larger and stronger and toughened up like a bunch of desert people – because they were.
King B. said to himself, “No way. We fight – we lose.”
And his people? Their nice tans lost their coconut glow as the blood drained from them in fear.
Time for a big meeting. So the joint chiefs of Moab and Midian got together and one of them said, “These Israelites, they’re going to lick us up like a big ox licks up grass. What are we going to do?”
“I have an idea,” said King B. “Have you heard of Balaam, son of Beor? He is a diviner from the East. Let’s get him over here to curse these cursed Israelites. That’s our only hope.”
“And send lots of money.”
So they found Balaam, and Balaam said, “Give me time. Let me see what God says.”
So Balaam talked with God, and God said, “Whatever you do, don’t go. Don’t even try to curse these people because I’m telling you, they are blessed.”
The next day Balaam sent the big wigs of Moab and Midian packing. They told King B., “He isn’t coming.”
So King Balak sent some even bigger wigs to deliver this message, “Balaam, I don’t know what’s keeping you from coming, but listen. I will reward you handsomely. I’ll do whatever you say, just come and put a curse on these Israelites.”
Well. The price just went up. This is unbelievable. What man in his right mind would pass up this?
So Balaam went back to God, and God said, “Okay, go ahead and go – but only do what I tell you to do.”
So Balaam hopped on his donkey and took off – with visions of riches now dancing in his head. Oh, all sorts of things ran through his mind, and I think he forgot about God’s word to “only do what I tell you to do.”
Next thing you know, the angel of the Lord stood in the path. Balaam didn’t see him, but the donkey did and turned off the road into a field. So Balaam beat her to get her back on track.
This happened a couple more times, and Balaam beat the donkey. Finally the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth and the donkey said, “Why are you beating me? What did I do?”
“You’re making me look like an idiot, that’s what! If I had a sword I’d kill you right now.”
Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes and he saw the angel of the Lord, standing in the road with his sword drawn.
The angel of the Lord said, “I have come to oppose you because your path is reckless before me. If it weren’t for the donkey I would have killed you by now.”
“Well I go back then,” said Balaam.
“No, go on,” said the angel of the Lord. “But speak only what I tell you.”
And to his credit, Balaam only spoke what the Lord told him, and right there in front of King Balak he repeatedly blessed Israel instead of cursing them.
Big problem, though. King B. flew into a rage, slapped his hands together and said, “I brought you here to curse them! But you keep blessing them! Now get out of here! And that handsome reward? Forgettaboutit!!! Now git!”
Now you’d think Balaam would just go back home, lick his wounds and forget all about King B. and the Midian/Moab fiasco.
But I think he still found a way to get a hold of that handsome reward, because here’s what he did. He gave them a key piece of strategy. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
At Balaam’s advice, the Midianites rounded up all their fine looking women. It’s time to party. They invited the Israelite men over to sacrifice to their gods, and wouldn’t you know it, there’s plenty of food and the company of these lovely ladies, and I use that term loosely.
Great damage was done to Israel, and it all came back to the advice of Balaam.
Eventually Israel exacted revenge, and killed the five kings of Midian. And someone else died by the sword that day – Balaam.
If he would have listened to God the first time, he probably would have been safely tucked in his bed back home.
But oh, he wanted that money. Yes, he could be bought. He had a price.
And a warning echoes down through the ages.
Peter warned about “the way of Balaam…who loved the wages of wickedness.”
Jude called it rushing for profit into Balaam’s error.
And Revelation 2:14 warns against holding to the “teaching of Balaam.”
Balaam was a man of compromise. Yes, he was willing to compromise for a price.
And now the question comes down to me today.
Would I be willing to compromise my Lord for a price?
Comments?
E-mail me: dougapple@wave94.com.
May God bless you today! With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
© 2009 The Arrow’s Tip
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(Proverbs 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”)
Why “The Arrow’s Tip”? Each morning, after diligently seeking the Lord, I write Apples of Gold. Then before I release it to the public I pray one final prayer, “Lord, send forth your arrows.” I envision Apples of Gold as arrows, tips dipped in the river of the water of life that flows from the throne of God (Rev. 22:1), sailing toward the hearts and minds of men and women around the world.
Doug Apple
General Manager - Wave 94
Christian Radio for Tallahassee
PO Box 4105
Tallahassee, FL 32315
(850) 926-8000
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