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Christ condemns both the doctrine of the Nicolaitans and the doctrine of Balaam (Rev. 2:14-16). These doctrines contain similarities, but also contain distinct and separate features that are quite dissimilar. The doctrines of the Nicolaitans have been expounded elsewhere.

Balaam taught the Moabites and Midianites (the nations surrounding Israel) that they might bring Israel undone in the eyes of God by getting them to sacrifice to idols and to commit fornication.

The thirty camps equate with the number of the heavenly council; hence the restoration can be construed as progressive. The number of camps plus the internal references at Ijim, total the number of centuries from the Exodus to the end of the six-thousand year period of the plan of salvation, leading up to the establishment of the Millennium under Messiah. This ends at the end of this Jubilee period in 2027/28.

In the final encampment prior to entering the Promised Land, the Moabites and the Midianites attempted to have Israel cursed by Balaam, son of Beor the prophet. Thus, the full significance is intended for the period of the Churches just prior to the Millennium. Balaam was instructed not to go with the Moabites/Midianites (Num. 22:12).

They entreated him and offered him money and Balaam said he couldn’t go against God, even if they gave him a house full of silver and gold (Num. 22:18). At Numbers 22:20-21 it is stated that elohim came to Balaam that night and told him to go with the men and say only what he was told; so he did. And the anger of God glowed because he went, so the Angel of Jehovah stationed himself in the road, as an enemy against him… The point here is that Balaam did as the Lord said. He didn’t disobey, as the Lord had told him to go. Nevertheless, the angel of YHWH went to confront him (Num. 22:22-35).

The problem here was that God knew that Balaam’s heart was perverse and that he spoke for gain. Thus, He wouldn’t have him curse Israel in His name, which Balaam must have intended to do. So we are viewing an act of prescience. This activity was foreseen as the actions of the priesthood in the last days. The practice of the priests teaching for hire is attacked in Micah 3:11. But, more particularly, Balaam taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel that they might eat food sacrificed to idols.

The activity went hand in hand with the doctrines of the Nicolaitans (Rev. 2:13-15). The punishment for this is to have Christ war against them with the sword of his mouth as he appeared before Balaam and his donkey in this story. The story was given to warn the priesthood of the dangers of the Babylonian system, which is where Balaam came from, i.e. the river, namely the Euphrates basin. He was nevertheless accepted as a priest to the sons of Abraham, namely the Moabites and the Midianites.

They themselves were also worshippers of false gods and Balaam knew of their duplicity. They lost favour with God because of this. Things didn’t go their way and they blamed God for the problem after they blamed Balaam. This is common today as the health-wealth gospel. If God does not bless us we are doing something wrong, or the group is not right. If misfortune happens to someone then it is because they are sinning. God knows our hearts and He will deal with it until we remove all trace of such thinking.

The importance of the text (Num. 23:7-10) is that the adversary was attempting to have Israel cursed and, thus, Messiah would be cursed. Israel was divided into quarters in accordance with the government structure of the Heavenly Host. Balak asked Balaam to curse Israel twice. The complete story is found in Numbers chapters 23 and 24. Other key scriptures are Daniel 2:45, 7:7; and Revelation 17:1-18.

We are looking at a religious system, which claims to act on the instructions of God, and which exists within the very Churches of God. However, it is, in fact, of the Babylonian system and teaches those doctrines, undermining Israel from the outset. The doctrine of Balaam is the breaking down of the law system of the Bible by indirect means (Num. 31:16). Israel went to the sacrifices of the gods of the Moabites, and the people ate of the food sacrificed to idols and bowed down to their gods, and thus Israel yoked itself to Baal of Peor. The Canaanite god of storms and fertility was worshipped at the cult centre of Peor (Num. 25:1-3). Numbers 25:4 shows that the penalty was paid by the leaders who had led Israel into error. Teaching for hire is detested by God and is accompanied by the doctrines of the Nicolaitans. The doctrines of Balaam and the Nicolaitans are both affected by the Mystery cults and both teach the sacrifice to idols of the false system. However, the doctrine of Balaam was more identified with the teaching for hire within the same system; whereas the Nicolaitans are not identified as being of the same system at all, merely apostates, or people espousing a false religion within the system – and that is the real problem.

Like the food problem, cultic prostitution was endemic in Asia Minor from the earliest days of the Babylonians and before. The introduction of the Mystery cults was systematic and undermined the church. The ministry taught for hire and they seduced the brethren to false gods. Lessons and doctrine they taught leading up to and taken as doctrine from the Councils of Nicaea in 381, and Constantinople in 381 were doctrines of demons. They introduced false doctrines regarding meats and celibacy. They separated the structure of the church into priests and laity in the same way the Mystery cults and the pagans did.

We are called out of the nations. We must continue in the true faith and not be subverted. We must fight hard to develop the Holy Spirit in power, imparting knowledge in truth and without fear!