Even a cursory look at Christian ministries supporting Israel, the cry is 'Who is today's Balaam?'.
In Australia we have the Uniting Church in Victoria shouting from the roof tops to boycott all things Israel. The ALP is doing all they can in their power to prevent visits of their parliamentarians visiting Israel. You have the Israeli ambassador to Australia saying when an Israeli is murdered by terrorists it is no longer news for Australia media.
In a previous article I highlighted the following story:
Israel: organic waste is being converted into biogas. Israel's government has given Bedouin families a mechanism to convert organic waste into clean biogas for cooking, heating and lighting, as well as organic liquid crop fertiliser. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited the sukkah of Israeli President Reuven Rivlin during the Jewish harvest holiday last October where he was treated to a demo of this machine.
The United Nations Secretary stated that "millions of women and children die each year due to indoor smoke from open fires. This is just the thing they need. The UN should be purchasing these units!" The family-size TevaGas (TG) backyard units, available as an easy-to-assemble kit, generate safe energy and fertiliser through bacterial anaerobic digestion of organic waste such as food scraps and animal manure.
But here's the rub. Why didn't we see this all over the news - for one reason and one reason only. It came from Israel.
Balaam's story
During the first exodus the Israelites under God's direction prepared to enter the promised land and the people of Moab and Midian (today's descendants – modern Arabs) first step in preventing their entry was by asking a powerful man to intervene against them (Numbers chapters 22-24).
Balaam was selected, a seer from Mesopotamia (the most powerful men in that era), a man for hire. Numbers 22 verse 6 the King of Moab said to Balaam: "I know that whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you cruse is cursed." In other words, the King was seeking a curse upon the Israelites.
So Balaam took the contract (as it were) and the Lord's anger rose up against him. The Angel of the Lord with a huge sword stood in his way, invisible to him, but not his donkey. Three times the donkey jibed, three times Balaam's leg, foot or body was crushed against the (stone) wall. The third time - the donkey spoke and Balaam's eyes were opened and able to see the Angel with sword drawn ready to kill Balaam.
Balaam arrived at his destination, looked over the valley, seeing the tents of the Israelites, three times the King of Moab asked Balaam to curse them, and three times Balaam blessed the Israelites: "Blessed is he who blesses you, And cursed is he who curses you..."
Where is the Balaam of today?
Since 1948 Jews have been streaming back to Israel with their Arab neighbours speaking violently to destroy them all and acting out those threats. The leaders of the free world today have the voice of Balaam at their fingertips, just as the Islamic leaders demand the reverse. The biblical injunctions are being forgotten.
Like Balaam they do not see the Angel of the Lord with sword drawn and who is the Balaam of today to bless Israel. Just as the donkey spoke and in effect saved Balaam's life, followed by Balaam blessing Israel, who is there today?
At that time it was unexpectedly a 'donkey' that spoke .... then Balaam's eye were opened to see the Angel of the Lord with sword drawn. What of today?
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html
