Daily Devotional

“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19). 

In 1956, a new American television game show became so popular it ran twenty-five seasons over six consecutive decades. To Tell the Truth featured a panel of four celebrities who were to correctly identify a contestant who had an unusual occupation or experience. Two imposters also pretended to be the central character. 

The panellists questioned all three contestants to determine which one was the true central character. Of course, the two imposters could lie, but the central character was sworn “to tell the truth.” At the end of the show, the panellists secretly voted. The host then asked, “Will the real [person’s name] please stand up?” After some false starts among the three, the true character stood. 

Balaam would have made a pretty good central character on To Tell the Truth. Even though he was tempted to curse Israel for a reward, he told the king of Moab, “The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak” (Numbers 22:38). Though he was a believer in God, he had given himself over to covetousness. Despite all of this, the Lord spoke through Balaam and blessed Israel. 

This didn’t set well with Balak, the king of Moab, who said, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and look, you have blessed them bountifully!” (Numbers 23:11). But Balaam reminded the king, “Did I not also speak to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, ‘If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord, to do good or bad of my own will. What the Lord says that I must speak’?” (Numbers 24:12, 13). 

What happened to Balaam really wasn’t unusual. To tell the truth, in the final judgment, everyone will confess the truth. 

Dear Jesus, may only pleasing and truthful words ever proceed from my mouth—words that honour You.