Balaam and His Donkey, Numbers 22

Orginally posted May 29, 2009
What does it take for God to get our attention? How great is the protection of the Lord on those whom He chooses to bless? How serious is it when we determine to follow our own will, instead of the Lord’s?

In the beginning of Numbers chapter 22 we see Israel camped in the plains of Moab and the king of Moab, Balak, terrified. He could see that Israel was large in number, he had heard of their victory over the Amorites, and he knew that his country didn’t have the power to defeat them. Balak decided to put his faith in Balaam, a seer. Balak believed that whom Balaam cursed was cursed and whom Balaam blessed was blessed. So, Balak teamed with the people of Midian and sent messengers, bearing gifts to Balaam, begging him to curse Israel. God gave Balaam a very clear answer, “And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people; for they are blessed.”

When his messengers returned telling him that Balaam had said no, Balak sent messengers a second time with a greater offer than before; “For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me; come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.” Balaam, tempted by the promise of great earthly reward, decided to inquire of God again regarding cursing Israel. This time God told Balaam to go with the men, but God knew that he would use Balaam to accomplish His will and that Balaam would die for his greedy disobedience.
Later we read of Balaam traveling along the road, planning on cursing Israel, the people whom God had clearly stated were blessed, all the while God was very angry with him. Suddenly, his donkey sees something that Balaam doesn’t, the angel of Lord holding a sword, and barring their way. The donkey runs into the field, Balaam not seeing the angel of Lord strikes his donkey and tries to turn her back on course. The donkey still seeing the angel of the Lord in their path runs into a wall. Balaam, his foot crushed against the wall now, strikes his donkey again.
Finally, the donkey seeing that the angel of Lord has completely blocked the way, leaving them no way to turn from the right or the left, the donkey just brings him and Balaam to the ground. After Balaam strikes the donkey a third time, the Lord allows the donkey to speak to him. The donkey, who had more common sense than Balaam, the seer, asks his master what did I do to deserve to be hit three times. Now, I ask you, wouldn’t you think that by now Balaam would have stopped and thought about what going on? His donkey has prevented him from continuing on his path three times, not to mention the fact that God clearly told him right from the start not to curse Israel. Now his DONKEY IS SPEAKING TO HIM! Determined and stubborn, Balaam rather than admit that he should do God’s will instead of his own, still doesn’t wake up! Instead, he just carries on a conversation with his DONKEY! This is just so absurd! Balaam pretty much just answers his Donkey by saying, I hit you because you mocked me, you didn’t respect me. Funny how, Balaam is concerned with the fact that his donkey doesn’t respect him, but he’s not concerned with the fact that he didn’t respect God.

Finally, God opened Balaam’s eyes and allowed him to see the angel of the Lord and Balaam finally admited that he was wrong. But now it was too late for Balaam. God had decided to use him to bless Israel, when he meant to curse them. God also allowed him to die for his disobedience and greed (Genesis 31:8).

Is this really much different from what we do today? God has given us a very clear statement as to what is right and wrong in the Bible. Yet, so often, we are determined to do what we want, sometimes in hope of earthly gain, sometimes because it’s the simplest way, and sometimes just because we want our own way. In our faithlessness we don’t trust God to bring us happiness or contentment, so we seek it by our own means. God opened the mouth of what many consider to be one of the dumbest and most stubborn of all the animals, to get the attention of this stubborn and willful man. What will he use to get our attention?