If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken off] branch and withers and dies; and they gather such branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
John 15:6 AMP
God’s blessing is eternal, and He is faithful to keep both the blessing and the one who has been blessed. However, we can lose access to the blessing when we break our relationship with God. Indeed, maintaining access to God’s blessing hinges on our unbroken relationship with Him. But when God’s presence is replaced by His anger, the enemy can succeed in stealing and destroying the blessing.
This is what happened to the Israelites when they encountered the Moabites and prophet Balaam. God had blessed the Israelites and protected them from their enemies. Therefore, Balaam could not curse them because God was in their midst. However, the Israelites veered downward into the pit of sin, and they became vulnerable to the enemy’s attack.
While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. So Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And the Lord ’s anger burned against them. …but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.
Numbers 25:1-3,9 NIV
Had the account of Balaam’s story concluded with Numbers 24:25, we might have missed the underlying cause of the Israelites’ sin. The absence of a curse on Israel might have misled us into thinking Balaam’s actions were all righteous. However, Moses unveils a truth concealed in Numbers 24.
These are the women who listened to Balaam and caused the men of Israel to turn away from the LORD that time at Peor. The disease will come to the LORD’S people again.
Numbers 31:16 ERV
Balaam’s inability to curse the people led him to perpetrate an evil surpassing a mere curse. Recognizing the source of Israel’s protection, he strategized to sever their connection with God. He knew that if the Israelites were to break their relationship with God, they would be vulnerable to attack. Likewise, the enemy, seeking a fruitful effort, aims not at cutting branches but at uprooting the tree from its source. Balaam understood that if Moabites induced the Israelites into sin, they could afflict them at will. The key was disconnecting them from God, and the only to achieve this is through sin.
So, it is important to note that the adversary’s goal is not a labour in vain but a systematic assault on the root. Balaam’s actions reveal the enemy’s strategy—cutting off the life source, God’s presence, by leading into sin.
Unfortunately, the Israelites did not remain in God, their protector. The lure of the Moabite women led them into sinful practices and idolatry. Instead of remaining in God’s protective embrace, they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. They sinned by committing sexual immorality and idolatry. As a result, God was angry with them and sent a plague that killed 24,000 people. If they had not repented and obeyed God’s instructions, they would have never been able to conquer the Moabites and the other nations that God had promised to give them.
The lesson for us is clear: we need to remain in God at all times. “If anyone does not remain in Me…” applies universally. No one is exempt from the need to stay connected to God. Outgrowing this instruction is impossible. Remaining in God requires conscious effort, ensuring we don’t dwell in sin. Failure to do so results in being cast out like a broken branch, with eternal destruction looming.
In conclusion, our relationship with God is the foundation of our spiritual growth and protection. By remaining in Him, we tap into His infinite blessings and guidance, enabling us to overcome challenges and fulfil our purpose in life. Let us strive to cultivate a deep and abiding connection with God, for it is in this relationship that we find true strength, resilience, and eternal life.