Num 23:1 And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” Balak did as Balaam had said. And Balak and Balaam offered on each altar a bull and a ram. And Balaam said to Balak, “Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you.” And he went to a bare height,
Proverbs 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD
Isaiah 1:11-12 “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. “When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts?
1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.
These were many altars ready to receive many bulls and rams. King Balak of the Moabites was ready to do whatever Balaam asked for, so long as he would curse Israel. Because Balaam sought to turn Yahweh against Israel, these seven altars and their sacrifices were intended to appease the LORD. But God never told Balaam to build an altar to Him, much less seven altars with seven sacrifices on seven different high places. These seven altars and burnt offerings were Balaam and Balak’s idea, not God’s. In the Numbers account, Balaam was a corrupt prophet but not a false prophet. He was greedy and ready to receive riches for trying to curse Israel. At the same time, he could not or would not create his own prophecies. He could only say, whatever the LORD shows me, I will tell you. (Guzik)
Seven — This being the usual number in the more solemn and important sacrifices, even among those worshippers of the true God who were not of the seed of Abraham, nor favoured with a written revelation, Job 42:8. Perhaps it was intended to show that they worshipped Him who had in a manner consecrated the number seven, by ceasing from his works of creation on the seventh day. It may not be improper to notice here how much the number seven is regarded in the sacred writings. The blood of atonement was to be sprinkled seven times before the mercy-seat, Leviticus 16:14; the consecrating oil was to be sprinkled seven times upon the altar, Leviticus 8:11; the leper was to be sprinkled seven times, and seven days were appointed for his cleansing, Leviticus 14:7-9; seven days were to be employed in consecrating the priests, (Leviticus 8:35,) and for purifying the unclean, Leviticus 12:2; Numbers 19:19; seven times Naaman washed in Jordan, 2 Kings 5:10; 2 Kings 5:14; seven days Jericho was besieged, and seven priests with seven trumpets blew, and the walls fell down, Joshua 6.; seven priests blew trumpets before the ark when David brought it home, 1 Chronicles 15:24; every seventh day was a sabbath; the seventh year a year of rest; and seven times seven years brought the jubilee. (Benson)
One heathen and one corrupt prophet can not make sacrifices to God that are right, true, or pleasing to God. Asking God to bless the work of your hands or actions resulting from your thoughts, while you are in sin and far from living to honor and glorify Jesus Christ, is foolish wisdom. And yet, this is what we do. We neglect God’s Word, we become deaf to the Holy Spirit, and we live lukewarm if not cold lives in reverence to God. And then, we seek God’s blessings for help, security, prosperity, health, relationships, safety, etc……. Rightly does the Word of God proclaim when Jesus said; “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; They worship me in vain.”
We do well to learn and know that a lukewarm commitment to honoring and glorifying God, will be in vain. It will give us no peace, rest, hope, joy, purity, love, generosity, etc…. It will only give worldly unsatisfying and unfulfilling results that will never satisfy the soul.
How many “Believers” neglect the wisdom and knowledge of God’s Word?
How many flounder like a fish out of water? How many have no peace, live in fear, or are anxious?
How many give more thought to worldly “stuff” and what it has to offer?
How many give no thought to honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ in “ALL” their thoughts, words, and actions?
How many are content with giving honor to God with their lips but their hearts are far from Him?????