Balaam is one of the strangest characters recorded throughout the whole volume of the Scriptures. He is an example of the double-minded sinner. This verse shows, in an essential way, the contradictory character that Balaam was. In his history we find him in opposition to God, under occult power, corrupted by the love of financial gain; on the other hand, there is an apparent deference and respect toward God. And on top of this, his prophetic utterances are some of the most sublime found in the entire Bible.

The same individual who said, “Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like his!” also gave wicked counsel to Balak to stumble the people of God (Num. 23:10; 25:1). Strange character indeed! But we have all met people like this. They appear to be believers, we think they may have faith, but then at other times we are in grave doubt—we just cannot put our finger on it. A preacher named Ralph Erskine once wrote about this type: “To good and evil equal bent, and both a devil and a saint.” However, Balaam was not a saint despite appearances at times. Balaam is a picture of one of the three features of apostasy seen in the last days: the way of Cain, the error of Balaam, and the rebellion of Korah (Jude 11).

The Lord Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other” (Mt. 6:24). Balaam is a man who tried to serve two masters, but in the end he had only one master: he “loved the wages of unrighteousness” (2 Pet. 2:15). True repentance is more than just saying, “I have sinned.” Let us beware of the “error of Balaam.” May we be sincere in deed and in spirit to our one Lord and Master.