Bibledoorajar: Let Nature Take It's Course

     After Balaam realized that seeking information for Balak through divinations was only leading to God's interference, he did not seek further divination. He fell into what seems a trance given by God and God revealed what He wanted him to tell Balak. Balak objected, telling Balaam that he had wanted to enrich him for providing an ultimate solution to his power problem, but he only told him of the mighty things God would do both then and in the future.  Finally, Balaam advised that they should both just go home. However, this was not until after he had delivered a subtle message. The message was to let nature take its course. Leave the people alone and they will be attracted to your god, Bael-peor, and will commit immoral acts with your people. And sure enough, that is what happened. And, it did not just happen with the people, it happened among the leadership as well. On one occasion a leader from the tribe of Simeon was seen taking a Midianite woman PAST THE TENT OF MEETING to his tent to engage in forbidden acts. The wrath of God inspired one of the pious priests and he took venegeance by killing the two who were so bold to carry out their acts of unrighteousness before the Living God. This priest, Phineas, was rewarded by God for standing up for righteousness.
      In Bible Class yesterday, we were speaking of how our culture is pressing in on every side to entreat the church of Christ to engage inappropriately in ungodly acts. At minimum, if we do not engage, we are at least being pressured to accept the unrighteous acts as acceptable behavior. The church must remember that we are challenged to purity by God and that he blesses righteousness. It is in Christ that we receive the power to stand strong and the withstand the temptations that come with letting nature take its' course. How great is this power? In Daniel 2:34 it is described this way.
 
 "While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them.  Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth."

The church is built on this rock and He is great and can lead us all the way home unstained through His blood. Our hope can be built on nothing less.