What do you know about the prophet Baalam without the ass, from the Bible?
Oh, all you Sunday School kids–who may have snickered about the ass–usually only know one element.
But other than that experience when an angel stopped the donkey and the animal spoke to Baalam, what is that story about?
As Baalam is mentioned sixty-two times in the Bible, obviously there’s more to the story.
Frankly, the story of Baalam without the ass is more important than meeting that angel.
Who was Baalam?
You can read about him in Numbers 22-23.
Here’s the basic story:
As the Israelites advanced out of their 40 years in the desert, they traveled up the east side of the Jordan River along what is now Israel.
As they neared Moab’s borders, King Balak feared their vast numbers.
Despite what Israelite leaders told him, King Balak didn’t believe they merely wanted to pass through his land.
Knowing they were followers of Yahweh who believed what prophets told them, King Balak:
sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the [Euphrates] River . . . to call him, saying: “Look, a people has come from Egypt. See, they cover the face of the earth, and are settling next to me! 6 Therefore please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
Numbers 22:5-6 (NKJV)
Obviously, Balaam was a locally known prophet with a good “track record.”
(Wikimedia Commons)
Balaam’s reaction to King Balak’s request?
Balaam was a legitimate prophet. He’d heard God’s words and, as usual, asked God what God wanted him to say.
God was stern and clear: “And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” (Numbers 22:12)
The frightened King Balak didn’t like that answer and sent more messengers, this time with money.
Baalam knew better. “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.” (Numbers 22: 18)
God’s warning to him: “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you—that you shall do.” (Numbers 22: 20)
Balaam already had asked God for an answer. He answered correctly the first time. But, eyeing the riches, he asked again.
How often do we do that?
In essence, asking, “Did I hear you right? Are you sure that’s your answer?”
Of course, God did, but Balaam liked the riches being dangled before him. He could have resisted again.
God won’t block our free will. But he did warn Balaam not to say anything God did not give Balaam to say.
Baalam and the ass meet an angel
This is the part of the story everyone knows–but they may have missed that God was angry with Baalam.
God sent an angel to confront the formerly-accurate prophet who was making a big mistake.
(Wikimedia Commons)
This is the story everyone knows.
So blinded by his disobedience, Baalam didn’t see the angel who stood between a cleft in two rocks with his sword drawn.
But the donkey saw the angel and stopped dead.
Balaam beat the donkey and demanded he go forward, but the donkey kept his eye on the angel with a sword.
After the donkey took too many beatings, God put words in his mouth, demanding to know why Baalam was treating him this way.
Then God opened Balaam’s eyes–which grew round in terror, right?
And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now, therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back.”
Then the Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but only the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
What would you do if God put you in this situation? (With or without a talking donkey?)
Are you a Balaam without the ass?
Think about what happened.
Balaam knew God’s voice–he’d been talking to him for a long time prior to this “invitation.”
He knew God’s opinion.
But the money . . . the fame . . . the pride?
God will not override our will. He let Baalam go–on the donkey–where Baalam, in spite of himself and in the face of King Balak’s angry reaction, blessed the Israelites as they prepared to enter Canaan.
When pressed by the king who was paying him good money, Baalam warned Balak he could only speak what God gave him to speak. Therefore, among other words, he proclaimed over the Israelites:
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?
Behold, I have received a command to bless;
He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.Numbers 23:19-20–see all of Numbers 23 for more blessings over the Israelites.
The risk and the betrayal
When faced with an outraged King Balak, Balaam had a choice.
Would he give in to the man who had paid him so much money and who could command Balaam’s death?
Balaam knew not to go beyond God’s word given to him.
But, he had advice he could provide the King–and that was his final betrayal of God and the Israelites.
As the Israelites moved in Moab and King Balak’s fear only grew of what was to come, Balaam had a suggestion. “Send Midianite women into the camp to seduce the Israelite men.”
Unfortunately, his “advice” worked too well. You can read more about the results in Numbers 25 and in Peter’s condemnation of false teachers in 2 Peter 2:15: “They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.”
Wouldn’t Baalam have been better off listening to the ass?
Yes.
That’s also true of anyone who uses their God-given talents and closeness to the Creator of the Universe, to give evil advice at the expense of those who love God.
Sin is always crouching at the door. God has given us the ability to recognize truth over temptation (see the Bible).
We just have to be willing to listen and act on God’s word, not use our free will to the detriment of ourselves and others.
God will send a check–in this case a talking ass–we just need to pay attention.
Tweetables
How not to need a talking ass to choose not be like Baalam. Click to Tweet
Thoughts? Reactions? Lurker?