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The Revelation of Jesus Christ message to the church at Ephesus; but, unlike Pergamos, the church at Ephesus hated the deeds of that class-. At Per gamos there had sprung up those who domineered over the flock, leaders who claimed a place of supremacy in the body of Christ. They became princes of the earth, and elected one who took upon himself the very name that Constantine assumed, "The high priest of the heathen." "Thou has there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam." What was the doctrine of Balaam? It is to Numbers 22: 1-25:3 that we must turn for an explanation. You will remember that Balak, king of Moab, wanted the children of Israel cursed. This was while God's chosen people were on their way from Egypt to Canaan. Balak was afraid to make contact with them himself; therefore, he sent for Balaam. Who he was, we do not know; but he was evidently a prophet. He accepted the offer which Balak made to him, and promised to curse-the children of Israel. However, when he started to carry out his part of the bargain, he found that he could not do it. An angel stopped him. Balaam wanted to go back, but the angel of the Lord said to him, "Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak." When Balaam came to the place where he was to curse the children of Israel. God restrained him; and instead of curses, there came forth wonderful prophecies. Balak was disgusted; but he tried again, taking Balaam to another mountain. The result was the same. That, how ever, was not the end of the story; for we read in Numbers 25: 1-9 that God meted out judgment on the children of Israel, because they had committed "whoredom with the daughters of Moab" according to "the counsel of Balaam" (Num. 25:1, 31: 16). This was the unholy alliance between Moab and Israel which was brought about at the suggestion of Balaam. He could not curse Israel with his tongue, but he knew that God did not want His people to have any sort of union with the heathen nations round about. Therefore, he conceived of a way in which Balak could have his desire gratifled. The testimony of the children of Israel was no longer that of a separated people. Their punishment was sure-over twenty thousand were wiped out. (See Num. 25:9. ) This is ex actly what took place during the reign of Constantine, a union of the church and the Christ-rejecting world.
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