Lessons From Balaam (Part II)

God knew that Balaam was going to do something foolish, so He used Balaam’s donkey to block him.

Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!”  So the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?” And he said, “No.” Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face. Numbers 22:28-31

One’s History

Balaam was willing to strike his donkey three times even though the history of this donkey was obedience and faithfulness. Did it ever occur to him that there could be something wrong with his donkey? Most of us are very in tune with our animals. When they act out of line with their character, we don’t jump into conclusion. We just wonder, what’s the matter with this animal.

Do we appreciate the people around us who serve faithfully right along our side? Do we know their character well? When they do something out of line with their character,  are we willing to slow down and find out what is going on instead of getting defensive with them?

May Be a Last Chance

Finally, God allowed the donkey to speak up. It’s a huge problem when a donkey speaks! You can consider it a miracle, but it was a sign that Balaam was being stiff-necked.  He was too intoxicated with his own plan, and God used an unusual measure to get Balaam’s attention!

By the time we hear something from an unexpected person, it should be a warning that we have already gone too far in this.  God is using one of his last measures before he gives us over to the lust of our own hearts. It’s an alarm to wake us up from stupor! Unfortunately, Balaam did what was in his heart and gave counsel to make the Israelite men to sin against their God (See Numbers 31:16).

Sometimes people wonder why God allows certain bad things to happen. This story illustrates that God in His loving kindness tried to stir Balaam away from sin, but ultimately Balaam chose otherwise. Each man has to choose if they are going to listen to the Lord and cleanse their hearts, or they will give themselves over to the desire of their hearts! Balaam ended up getting killed by the Israelites.

Opportunity to Change Direction

When someone seems to block, challenge, or frustrate us, there is a blessing in the situation if we handle it right:

1. Don’t get defensive.

2. Pray for humility.

3. Receive the truth offered to you.

4. Sift through it by listening to the Holy Spirit first not your friends.

If the person carries an ounce of truth, then praise God for not missing the truth offered to us. However, if the person is wrong, the Lord will comfort us. He knows how to take care of the situation the way He knows best!

1 thought on “Lessons From Balaam (Part II)”

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.