May the mumbling commence!
The donkey had more sense than its master. In Numbers chapters 22 to 24, the story of Balak and Balaam is recorded. The story of Balaam has always been an enigma to me. I cannot seem to figure him out – not quite. Other Scriptures look at Balaam in a very negative light; but, from all appearances, it seems Balaam was trying his best to follow the Lord. Balaam repeatedly tells Balak and his messengers that he can say and do only what he gets from the Lord. Maybe that is why Balaam had the reputation for being able to truly bless and curse people.
Balak, King of Moab, saw Israel on his doorstep. Balak knew what Israel had done to the Amorites, so he feared that Israel would do the same to him and his people. Balak sent two different parties to arrange for the services of Balaam. Both times, Balaam asked the messengers to stay the night. Balaam sought an answer from the Lord. Did he seek it through dreams? Is that why he asked the men to stay the night? Were they dreams induced by sorcery? If that was so, then I can see the reason for the negative light shed on Balaam by other Scriptures. But the Scripture doesn’t tell us.
The first time, the Lord refused to allow Balaam to go. The second time, the Lord gave Balaam permission to go; but the Lord commanded him to do nothing great or small beyond the command of God. Do only what the Lord commands. So Balaam went with the men. I wonder if Balaam told the messengers what the message from God contained. I wonder if the encounter with God that Balaam had was induced by sorcery. Again, the Scripture does not tell us.
What the Scripture does tell us is that the Lord was very angry when Balaam went. The Lord sent His angel to bar the path of Balaam with a sword. Balaam could not see it. For some reason, he was blinded to it. Maybe because the angel’s appearance was not tied to Balaam’s practice of sorcery? Regardless, the donkey that Balaam rode could see the angel. Three times, the donkey sought to protect its master. Three times, Balaam struck the donkey for its seeming disobedience. And the third time Balaam struck his donkey with his staff.
Then, God produced a miracle. The Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and it spoke. Another miracle then happened. The eyes of Balaam were opened, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in his path with sword drawn. Plain animal sense knew the anger of the Lord, but human sense missed the obvious because humanity is wrapped in its own sense of truth – a sense that is far lesser than that of God.
Did God change His mind or was it another spirit that visited Balaam that second night? We cannot know for sure. I suspect the latter. And God took this opportunity to remind Balaam to say nothing beyond what he commands him to say.
Balak was so eager when he heard that Balaam was coming that he met Balaam at the very edge of his territory. Three times and in three different places, Balaam led Balak through a series of sacrifices in sight of some of Israel’s camp. The first two times, Balaam went away from the other men to hear from God. Did he leave them to hide the secrets of his sorcery trade? Perhaps, he did. The first two times, the Lord caused Balaam to bless Israel. But, on the third attempt, Balaam did not leave the people. We are told that he did not use sorcery, like the other times. For the first time, we learn that Balaam had the Spirit of God come upon him. Then Balaam not only blessed Israel, but he also cursed Balak’s people and the people that surrounded him.
Still, I am stuck with wondering why Balaam is seen in such a negative light by the rest of Scriptures. In Deuteronomy 23:4-5 (Joshua 24:9-10, Nehemiah 13:2 also), Balaam is accused of pleading with God to curse Israel. Wasn’t that the sin of Balak? In Joshua 13:22, Balaam is listed among those who were killed for divination. That sin is more certain from this Numbers' passage. Second Peter 2:15 tells us that Balaam loved the wages of doing wrong. Did Balaam really go to the Lord with the intent of cursing Israel or did he come with an open mind? Either way, he listened to the Lord and obeyed. Then, most mysteriously, Revelation 2:14 accuses Balaam of teaching Balak to put a stumbling block of idol worship and fornication before Israel. Though we will see in our Scripture readings tomorrow that Israel indeed fell into these sins, there is no Scriptural evidence in Numbers that it was Balaam who taught this.
It seems to me that Balaam’s known sin recorded in the book of Numbers was divination. Seeking the Lord in the wrong ways can have disastrous consequences. But I wonder if Balaam would have known the Lord’s prohibition on divination. Yes, perhaps, divination blinded Balaam to the Lord’s true will.
I wonder what methods that I use to guide my life that blind me to the Lord’s will for my life. Those methods might be politically charged or driven by wealth and fame and honor. May I not read my own press (so to speak) – good or bad. What other people say about me and what I do is of nothing. I am only a tool in the hands of the Lord. I give thanks for the Lord’s hands that so wisely guides me. May I not be blinded to the Lord’s guidance.
Enough mumbling for now...
Peace Out
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