Gospel Doctrine Lesson 16

1. Lesson 16 “I Cannot Go Beyond The Word Of The Lord”
Numbers22-24& 31
GDOT
16
Follow
along

2. “We have in the Bible an
untapped, almost unknown
treasury of inspiring & faith
promoting stories” Bruce R. McConkie

3. Scripture Mining
• Untrained eyes could
miss the hidden treasures
• Using the “right” tools
• Finding nuggets or veins

4. 2 volunteers
• Scripture list
• Plenty of lookup time
• Won’t be asked to answer questions
• No time wasted—efficient 
R1 and R2

5. Lesson 16 I Cannot Go Beyond The Word Of The Lord
Numbers22-24& 31
Anyone know where the title “Numbers” comes from?

6. Balaam
**Prophet known for
cursing and blessing
**lives in the far north
Midian area
Children of Israel History
1451 BC
Background Balak
** king of Moabites
**scared of Israelites
camped outside Moab
Talking Donkey
**Balaam’s obedient
Transportation for years

7. Numbers 22
Balak & Balaam
What “rewards ” are we offered by the world?
vs.18…”If Balak would give me
his house full of silver and gold,
I cannot go beyond the word of
the Lord my God”
Why do you think he wanted to ask the Lord again?
What are the dangers in seeking for exceptions?

8. **Lost 116 pages
•Anyone give us the quick
summary?
•R2 -Doctrine and Covenants 3:4
Church History
“…set at naught
the counsels of God”

9. Balaam and his donkey
R1 –Numbers 22:21-22
• KJV: "rise up, and go with them"
• JST: "rise up, if thou will go with them"
Why is God angry with him
after consenting to let him go?
R2 –Numbers 22:27-28
“Talking Donkey”--corrections
R1 –Numbers 22:31-32
How do we respond to
righteous chastisement?
R2 –Numbers 22:34
vs. 35 “Go with the men: BUT
only the word that I shall speak
unto thee, that thou shalt speak”
ONLY SAY WHAT I TELL YOU TO SAY!!!

11. Balaam refuses
to curse Israel
How shall I curse,
whom God hath not
cursed? vs2
Must I not take heed
to speak that which
the Lord hath put into
my mouth? vs12
All that the Lord
speaketh that I must
do? vs 26
I have received
commandment to
bless and I cannot
reverse it. vs 20
What the Lord saith
that will I speak?
vs 13
Balaam goes to King
Balak /Israelites
R1 –Numbers 24:10-11
“…the Lord hath kept thee
back from honour”
R2 –Isaiah 29:13
How do we avoid this?

12. "It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the devil
to enter a door that is closed. He seems to have no keys
for locked doors. But if a door is slightly ajar, he gets
his toe in, and soon this is followed by his foot, then by
his leg and his body and his head, and finally he is in
all the way." (Miracle of Forgiveness, p215)
Leaving the door openSpencer W. Kimball

13. Sad ending
--Balaam
R1—Numbers 31:8
R2 –Numbers 31:15-16
>>remember the “BUT” the
Lord gave Balaam?

14. Balaam’s lasting
impressions
2Peter 2:15
… Which have forsaken the
right way, and are gone astray,
following the way of Balaam
the son of Bosor, who loved
the wages of unrighteousness
R1 --Jude 1:11
R2 --Revelation 2:14
What is your “nugget” takeaway from Balaam’s story?

15. “Balaam, the prophet, inspired and
mighty as he once was, lost his
soul in the end because he set his
heart on the things of this world
rather than the riches of eternity”
“The Story of a Prophet’s Madness”
Bruce R. McConkie
April 1978

16. Next week
Deuteronomy 6,8,11,32
Beware Lest Thou Forget --17