Num 22:22-33 | KingComments | STEP | Balaam meets God as his adversary. Balaam goes because God has said it, and because he goes, God is angry. That seems to be a contradiction. Balaam knows it is against the will of God, but he goes, driven by love for money. In the history with the donkey God shows that Balaam is even more stupid than a donkey. Blinded as he is by the greed of money, he does not know what danger he is in. The donkey has an eye for that. Animals often have more eye for their Owner than humans ( ). An animal sees more here than someone created in God’s image. What foolishness to persevere on an evil way on which the sword of the LORD is stretched out against the evil one. The donkey saves him from that folly ( ). Balaam doesn’t seem to notice the unusualness of the donkey’s speaking. He talks to her. It has been suggested that perhaps through his contacts with the demons he is used to talking to animals. Perhaps his anger also makes him that excited that he is not aware of the strangeness of it. That the LORD let the donkey speak shows how exceptional this event with Balaam is. What is at stake is much indeed. It is about blessing or cursing for the people of God and all related promises. God can use everything and give a voice to give a testimony of His omnipotence and thereby warn ( ; ). He can also, if this is in accordance with the execution of His plan, intervene in a law established by Himself ( ; ). Unbelief speaks mockingly of three “saving animals”: the speaking serpent ( ), the speaking donkey (here) and the fish in which Jonah was ( ). Yet it is true that those who do not believe that this really happened cannot be saved, for such a person makes God a liar. The events in which animals are used by God for a special purpose above their nature have to do with the Fall (the serpent), the connection between God and His people with the associated promises (the donkey) and the Lord Jesus (the fish). All three are quoted in the New Testament ( ; ; ). Instead of wondering why the donkey, who has never let him down, does so, he whips her off. He even wants to kill her, a folly that is prevented because he has no sword with him. What would he have gained from that? He would only have lost by it. So many people in their folly do things that do not profit them, but only make them lose. Also by the cruel treatment of his faithful riding animal Balaam proves that he is an unrighteous man. A righteous man knows what his animal needs ( ). By the way, there is a sword in the neighborhood, that of the Angel of the LORD. But for that Balaam is blind. In addition, it is not directed against the donkey, but against him. The reaction of the donkey is not only wonderful by her speaking, but also in what she says ( ). She speaks with more understanding than Balaam. In her words, in the form of questions, there are wise lessons for Balaam and every human being in their relationship to God. First, it recognizes Balaam’s ownership of her when she says: “Am I not your donkey?” Secondly, she can say that she has always been there for him in faithful service: “On which you have ridden all your life to this day?” Thirdly, we see that this exceptional action is not the result of her unwillingness, “have I ever been accustomed to do so to you?”, with which she indirectly says that the unwillingness is with him. The questions of the donkey have no prophetic content. They are not questions that come from God and have a special meaning. She also says nothing about the Angel of the LORD. It is simply the questions that every animal that is abused would ask if it had the opportunity to do so. They do not go outside the realm of an animal’s feelings, but remain within the realm of animal soul life. The only answer Balaam can and have to give to the questions asked is: “No!” But there is no question of any reaction in his conscience. There is a practical application to be made. If we are on the road and there will be a delay that prevents us from continuing our journey, how do we react? The Lord wants such an obstacle to lead us to consider our motives for undertaking this journey, whether short or long. It doesn’t have to be wrong, but He wants us to enter His thoughts and become aware that everything can only be His honor if He goes with us. This applies even more so to the path of life we follow during our life journey, the choices we make, for example, which education, which profession, which man or woman we should choose. From which motive do we choose the way we go? Just as the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey ( ), so He opens the eyes of Balaam ( ). That brings him on his knees. The LORD speaks to him in a questioning manner about his conduct against his donkey. Then He makes it clear to Balaam that He and Balaam are diametrically opposed to each other. Balaam is not in the way of the LORD, but in a way of which the LORD says: “Because your way was contrary to me.” That means that this way was leading to destruction. The Angel emphasizes that Balaam mistreated his donkey three times to force her to go the way he wants her to go, but that the donkey saved him three times for destruction, by turning away from the Angel. After the LORD has declared to Balaam the lesson with the donkey, Balaam pronounces: “I have sinned.” But it is in the same way as Pharaoh, Saul, and Judas do ( ; ; ). There is no real repentance. God does not relieve him of his duty, but obliges him to continue, saying that he will only speak what He says to him. It will be to God’s greater honor if He not only prevents Balaam from cursing the people, but also makes Balaam an instrument by whom He blesses His people.

‏ Numbers 22:22-33

Balaam Meets God as an Adversary

Balaam meets God as his adversary. Balaam goes because God has said it, and because he goes, God is angry. That seems to be a contradiction. Balaam knows it is against the will of God, but he goes, driven by love for money.

In the history with the donkey God shows that Balaam is even more stupid than a donkey. Blinded as he is by the greed of money, he does not know what danger he is in. The donkey has an eye for that. Animals often have more eye for their Owner than humans (Isa 1:3). An animal sees more here than someone created in God’s image. What foolishness to persevere on an evil way on which the sword of the LORD is stretched out against the evil one. The donkey saves him from that folly (2Pet 2:15-16).

Balaam doesn’t seem to notice the unusualness of the donkey’s speaking. He talks to her. It has been suggested that perhaps through his contacts with the demons he is used to talking to animals. Perhaps his anger also makes him that excited that he is not aware of the strangeness of it.

That the LORD let the donkey speak shows how exceptional this event with Balaam is. What is at stake is much indeed. It is about blessing or cursing for the people of God and all related promises. God can use everything and give a voice to give a testimony of His omnipotence and thereby warn (Lk 19:40; Hab 2:11). He can also, if this is in accordance with the execution of His plan, intervene in a law established by Himself (2Kgs 6:6 ; 2Kgs 20:11; Jos 10:13).

Unbelief speaks mockingly of three “saving animals”: the speaking serpent (Gen 3:1), the speaking donkey (here) and the fish in which Jonah was (Jona 1:17 ; Jona 2:1 ; 10). Yet it is true that those who do not believe that this really happened cannot be saved, for such a person makes God a liar. The events in which animals are used by God for a special purpose above their nature have to do with the Fall (the serpent), the connection between God and His people with the associated promises (the donkey) and the Lord Jesus (the fish). All three are quoted in the New Testament (2Cor 11:3; 2Pet 2:16; Mt 12:40).

Instead of wondering why the donkey, who has never let him down, does so, he whips her off. He even wants to kill her, a folly that is prevented because he has no sword with him. What would he have gained from that? He would only have lost by it. So many people in their folly do things that do not profit them, but only make them lose.

Also by the cruel treatment of his faithful riding animal Balaam proves that he is an unrighteous man. A righteous man knows what his animal needs (Pro 12:10a). By the way, there is a sword in the neighborhood, that of the Angel of the LORD. But for that Balaam is blind. In addition, it is not directed against the donkey, but against him.

The reaction of the donkey is not only wonderful by her speaking, but also in what she says (Num 22:30). She speaks with more understanding than Balaam. In her words, in the form of questions, there are wise lessons for Balaam and every human being in their relationship to God. First, it recognizes Balaam’s ownership of her when she says: “Am I not your donkey?” Secondly, she can say that she has always been there for him in faithful service: “On which you have ridden all your life to this day?” Thirdly, we see that this exceptional action is not the result of her unwillingness, “have I ever been accustomed to do so to you?”, with which she indirectly says that the unwillingness is with him.

The questions of the donkey have no prophetic content. They are not questions that come from God and have a special meaning. She also says nothing about the Angel of the LORD. It is simply the questions that every animal that is abused would ask if it had the opportunity to do so. They do not go outside the realm of an animal’s feelings, but remain within the realm of animal soul life. The only answer Balaam can and have to give to the questions asked is: “No!” But there is no question of any reaction in his conscience.

There is a practical application to be made. If we are on the road and there will be a delay that prevents us from continuing our journey, how do we react? The Lord wants such an obstacle to lead us to consider our motives for undertaking this journey, whether short or long. It doesn’t have to be wrong, but He wants us to enter His thoughts and become aware that everything can only be His honor if He goes with us. This applies even more so to the path of life we follow during our life journey, the choices we make, for example, which education, which profession, which man or woman we should choose. From which motive do we choose the way we go?

Just as the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey (Num 22:28), so He opens the eyes of Balaam (Num 22:31). That brings him on his knees. The LORD speaks to him in a questioning manner about his conduct against his donkey. Then He makes it clear to Balaam that He and Balaam are diametrically opposed to each other. Balaam is not in the way of the LORD, but in a way of which the LORD says: “Because your way was contrary to me.” That means that this way was leading to destruction. The Angel emphasizes that Balaam mistreated his donkey three times to force her to go the way he wants her to go, but that the donkey saved him three times for destruction, by turning away from the Angel.

After the LORD has declared to Balaam the lesson with the donkey, Balaam pronounces: “I have sinned.” But it is in the same way as Pharaoh, Saul, and Judas do (Exo 9:27 ; Exo 10:16; 1Sam 15:24 ; 1Sam 26:21; Mt 27:3-4). There is no real repentance. God does not relieve him of his duty, but obliges him to continue, saying that he will only speak what He says to him. It will be to God’s greater honor if He not only prevents Balaam from cursing the people, but also makes Balaam an instrument by whom He blesses His people.