After the Israelites defeated the Amorites, the king of Moab (Balak) was afraid the Israelites would destroy his nation as well. Balak asked a prophet named Balaam to curse the Israelites. However, the Lord directed Balaam to not curse the Israelites, so Balaam blessed them instead. Later, Balaam disobeyed the Lord and taught Balak that he could weaken the Israelites by enticing them to commit sin. The Israelites who committed serious sin and turned from the Lord were slain. The Lord then instructed Moses to set Joshua apart to lead Israel.
Before class write or display the following key statements of doctrine in one column on the board and the doctrinal mastery scripture references in a second column on the board. Invite a student to draw a line, with the help of the class, connecting one key statement of doctrine with its associated scripture passage. Repeat the activity with a different student each time until all key statements of doctrine have been matched with their associated scripture passage. For example:
Balak offers riches and honor to Balaam if he will curse the Israelites, but Balaam blesses Israel
Before class, place a picture of the Savior at the front of the room. Then position two long pieces of tape about three feet apart and parallel to each other on the floor (so they look like a path that leads to the picture of the Savior).
Begin class by pointing out the picture and the pieces of tape. Explain that the space between the pieces of tape represents the path back to God. Invite a student to stand on the path. Explain that this student represents all of us as we seek to return to God. Then ask the following questions (you may want to write these questions on the board before class):
What tactics does Satan use to entice us to get off the path that leads back to God?
What are some practices that would help us stay on the path back to God?
Ask the student to return to his or her seat. Invite the class to look for principles, as they study Numbers 22–36, that will help them answer these questions.
Write the following on the board: Balak (king of Moabites); Balaam (prophet from Pethor). Invite a few students to take turns reading aloud from Numbers 22:1–6. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what we can learn about Balak and Balaam from these verses.
How did Balak feel about the Israelites? Why did he feel this way?
What did Balak request of Balaam?
Summarize Numbers 22:7–11 by explaining that Balak sent messengers to offer Balaam rewards in exchange for cursing the Israelites. After hearing from the messengers, Balaam told them he would bring them the Lord’s answer.
Invite students to read Numbers 22:12–13 silently, looking for what God told Balaam to not do.
What did God tell Balaam to not do?
According to verse 13, how did Balaam respond to the leaders Balak had sent?
Invite a student to read Numbers 22:15–17 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what King Balak did after Balaam refused his offer.
According to verse 15, whom did King Balak send to deliver his message to Balaam?
What did King Balak offer Balaam?
What can we learn from Balak’s methods about how the adversary entices us to sin? (Students may identify a variety of truths, but make sure it is clear that the adversary sometimes uses promises of riches, popularity, and worldly status to entice us to commit sin.)
How might the adversary use riches or popularity to distract youth from the path back to God?
Invite a student to read Numbers 22:18–21 aloud. Ask the class to follow along and look for how Balaam responded to Balak’s second offer.
How did Balaam respond?
Why do you think Balaam sought the Lord’s counsel a second time after having already received instruction to not go with Balak’s men?
Explain that the Joseph Smith Translation changes the phrase “rise up, and go with them” in Numbers 22:20 to “rise up, if thou wilt go with them” (italics added). In other words, God was making Balaam responsible for the decision whether to follow God or to go with the princes of Moab.
Invite a student to read Numbers 22:22. Ask the class to follow along and look for how God felt about Balaam’s decision to go to Moab with the princes. Invite students to report what they find.
Why do you think God was angry when Balaam went with the princes of Moab?
Divide students into small groups. Ask them to read Numbers 22:23–34 together, looking for what happened to Balaam as he went with King Balak’s men. After sufficient time, ask students to explain what happened to Balaam.
What can we learn from Balaam’s experience? (As students share the principles they have identified, emphasize the following truth: We should not allow the enticements of the world to influence our devotion to the Lord. Consider writing this truth on the board.)
What problems could understanding this truth help you avoid?
What blessings have you or someone you know experienced by not allowing the enticements of the world to influence your devotion to God?
Remind students of the tape on the floor representing the path that we must follow to return to God. Invite students to write in their study journals a few ways they can have the spiritual strength to stay on the path that leads back to God. Invite a few students who are willing to share what they wrote.
Encourage students to not allow the enticements of the world to influence their devotion to God.
Summarize Numbers 22:35–Numbers 24:25 by explaining that the angel told Balaam he could continue his journey to see Balak but was to speak only the words the Lord told him to speak. When Balaam arrived in Balak’s kingdom, the king reminded Balaam that he could reward him if he would curse the Israelites. Rather than cursing them, however, Balaam blessed them and prophesied of the coming of the Savior (see Numbers 24:17).
Ask students if they have ever read a story that had a surprise ending. Invite a few students to share examples with the class. Explain that the account of Balaam and King Balak has an unanticipated ending. Ask students to explain how they think the account might end.
Invite a student to read Numbers 25:1–3 aloud. Ask the class to follow along and look for what happened when the children of Israel came to Moab, Balak’s kingdom. (To help students understand verse 3, point out footnote a and explain that Israel gathered with the people of Moab at a place called Peor to worship a false god.)
What did some of the Israelites do when they came to Moab?
Invite a student to read Revelation 2:14 aloud. Explain that this verse adds detail about Balaam’s interactions with King Balak. Ask the class to follow along and look for an insight into what happened to bring about the events described in Numbers 25:1–3.
According to this passage in Revelation, what did Balaam teach Balak to do? Is this how you expected this account to end? Why or why not?
Why is the term stumbling block a good description of sin?
What truths can we learn from this account about how sin affects us? (Students may use different words, but make sure they identify the following truth: Sin stops us from progressing spiritually and causes us to lose God’s protection and power. Write this truth on the board.)
Explain that King Balak enticed the Israelites to commit sin because he knew that without the Lord’s power they would not be able to successfully conquer his kingdom.
How is this similar to Satan’s tactics?
Ask students to ponder what behaviors or attitudes may be stumbling blocks in their lives right now. Testify that if they have left the path that leads back to God and stumbled over sin, they can repent and return to the path. Encourage students to choose to repent and return to the path, if needed, or to remain firm in their resolve to stay on the path.
Summarize Numbers 25:4–18 by explaining that the Lord instructed Moses that the children of Israel who had turned to idol worship were to be slain.
The children of Israel are numbered again, and Moses sets Joshua apart to lead Israel and gives instructions before they enter the promised land
Summarize Numbers 26–29 by explaining that the men of Israel who were at least 20 years old and could fight in battle were numbered again. Only Caleb and Joshua remained from the group of men who had been numbered at Sinai. Moses was told that he would not enter the promised land (see Numbers 27:12–14; see also Deuteronomy 3:26–29; 4:21; 32:48–52; D&C 84:23–25). The Lord directed Moses to call Joshua and set him apart to lead Israel.
Invite students to consider marking Numbers 27:18–23, which describes how Moses set Joshua apart.
Summarize Numbers 30–36 by explaining that in Numbers 30 we read that Moses taught Israelite leaders concerning vows. Numbers 31 records that the Lord commanded the Israelites to go to war against the Midianites. During the battle, none of the Israelite soldiers were lost, but Balaam, who was now apparently living among the Midianites, was killed (see Numbers 31:8). In Numbers 32–36 we learn that the Lord commanded the Israelites to drive all of the Canaanites out of the promised land and instructed the Israelites concerning land inheritances and cities of refuge.
Conclude by testifying of the principles identified in this lesson. Invite students to act on any promptings they may have received as they studied the scriptures.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles commented on the account of Balaam in the article “The Story of a Prophet’s Madness” (New Era, Apr. 1972, 4–7). Elder McConkie discussed how, in this true account, a righteous man tried to serve both the God of heaven and his “greed for wealth and lust for honor” (“The Story of a Prophet’s Madness,” 7). In the end, the prophet Balaam “lost his soul … because he set his heart on the things of this world rather than the riches of eternity” (“The Story of a Prophet’s Madness,” 7).
Numbers 22:28. “And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass”
“The rebuke received by Balaam from an animal wrought upon by the Spirit of God is a singular event in history. Speculation on how the deed was accomplished is useless. It is certain that the beast spoke in a way understandable to Balaam. Other scriptures indicate that when animals are filled with the divine Spirit and celestialized, they will be able to express themselves in ways presently denied them (see Revelation 4:6, 9; D&C 77:2–4). Balaam is not recorded as showing surprise at this phenomenon, which circumstance has led some to suggest that Balaam’s mind was troubled because of his attempt to serve both God and mammon. Had he been more thoughtful, the unusual behavior of his otherwise obedient mount would have caused him to look about to discover the trouble. Then perchance he would have discovered the angel’s presence” (Old Testament Student Manual: Genesis–2 Samuel, 3rd ed. [Church Educational System manual, 2003], 209–10).
“Evidently, when [Balaam] saw that he could not earn Balak’s commission by cursing Israel directly, he told Balak that God would only bless Israel when they were righteous. If the Moabites could seduce Israel into idol worship, they would lose God’s power. Thus, Balaam became a symbol of those who use their callings and gifts to get gain and pervert the Lord’s people (see 2 Peter 2:15; Revelation 2:14)” (Old Testament Student Manual: Genesis–2 Samuel, 3rd ed. [Church Educational System manual, 2003], 210).
Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained the importance of the Savior being the “Star out of Jacob”:
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Bruce R. McConkie
“‘In figurative language, the spirit hosts in pre-existence are referred to as the stars of heaven.’ (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed., pp. 765–66.) The morning stars who joined with all the sons of God when the foundations of the earth were laid were the noble and preeminent spirits. As the Star who came out of Jacob, Christ is thus the most outstanding one of all the hosts of that unnumbered house” (Bruce R. McConkie, The Promised Messiah: The First Coming of Christ [1978], 182).
