The first question that came to my mind was: Who was Balaam? (v. 5) Besides being popularly known as the prophet who rode on a talking donkey, many scholars consider Balaam a non-Jewish prophet, the son of Beor at Pethor, a place near the Euphrates River. (v. 5)He claimed to be an Aramean in his first oracle. (Numbers 23:7)We do not know how Balaam came to know the Lord, but he lived near Haran where Abraham grew up. So it is possible that his ancestors had learned about the Living God from Abraham, and passed it onto their children. Now, after many years, Balaam also knew God and was even made a prophet by him.

Somehow Balak knew that Balaam had the prophetic power which came from God. He said with much faith, “for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.” (v. 6)

How wonderful it is that God’s chosen servants had the power to pronounce blessings upon their loved ones, the people they work with and serve with. Indeed, God has given his people words of faith and blessings, only that we will exercise them in the proper way and at appropriate occasions. On the contrary, those who pronounce curses and the naysayers often do not act out of their faith in God.

In this passage, Balak was importunate in his repeated requests to ask Balaam to curse Israel so that they themselves would not be defeated and swallowed up by Israel’s superior military advance. He refused to take “no” for an answer, because he feared that his kingdom would be swallowed up and his people killed by the mighty hordes of Israel’s army.

So he sought to hire a diviner, Balaam. And the elders came to Balaam with fees for divination. (v.7) This seemed to be the usual practice during that time. This old practice of divination is also happening in many different places of the world today, among ancestor worshippers and in Chinese folk religious practices. For us Christians, we do not need to resort to consulting diviners. We have the Word of God to guide us and the Holy Spirit to teach and lead us as to how we should conduct ourselves as Christ’s disciples in this world.

In the ensuing verses, there are two sets of conversations (8-14; 15-21) among the three parties: Balak’s messengers, Balaam and God; with Balaam being the middleman between the messengers and God.

The Lord’s message was very clear from the beginning. Balaam was not to go with the messengers and not to curse Israel. (v. 12) And the second time, he could go with them, but only do what the LORD told him to do. (v. 20) Both of these times, Balaam obeyed the LORD.

Then why is it that in verses 20-22 when God told Balaam to go to Balak, he became very angry with Balaam when he went? Did Balaam not obey the Lord’s simple and clear command? Was Balaam really permitted to travel to the plains of Moab to curse Israel at the repeated request and subtle persuasion of Balak?

The first time I read these verses, it appears that God had permitted him to go and then turned back on what he said. But actually, Balaam had skilfully omitted what God had clearly said the first-time concerning Israel, “for they are a blessed people.” (v. 12c) If Balaam had clearly mentioned this fact to Balak’s messengers, perhaps this would have ended Balak’s attempts to curse a people God had blessed.

Balaam had kept the door open for a second attempt by Balak to come back with a greater offer. And Balak indeed sent more numerous and more honourable princes to come and persuade Balaam into going and doing what he wanted him to do: to curse Israel.

Balaam was pretending to be pious and righteous when he said, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD my God to do less or more. (v. 18)

And God instructed him with a condition, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.” (v. 20) But before the men rose up in the morning to call on him, Balaam the prophet of God took the initiative. His heart had already moved him to go! So he went with the princes of Moab.

And God was very angry with him, like saying to these words to him, “If you really want to go, then go, but do what I tell you to do.” Have we not at times gone ahead of God and tried to bend God’s will to our own will, even though we might not be fully convinced that ours is the right way? May God help us to be like Jesus, and say, “Father, not my will but your will be done.” (Luke 22:42)

So Balaam went to Balak against the will of God, and in the next 12 verses from 22-33, we read that thrice God sent his angel as an adversary to block his way to Balak. And the famous talking donkey spoke to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” (v. 30)

Our God is a humorous God, He could use anything to get our attention, and that includes a donkey, or a dog or a flower, if only we pay attention, open our eyes to see and bend our ears to hear. As the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes to see, may God also open our eyes to see the wondrous truth of His word, and listen to his still small voice, and give us a heart of undivided attention to obey his will. Amen!

After Balaam’s eyes were opened and he repented of his sins, he was able to vindicate himself when he met Balak by saying, “The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak.” (v. 38c)

Prayer : Dear God and Lord of our lives, even before we were born, you know all things. And while we live here on earth, you know our paths, our going outs and coming ins. I pray that you will help me live an honest and sincere life, and not be tempted by power or riches, or be sway in any way by the evil one, but to live circumspectively to always seek first your kingdom and righteousness and to do your will here on earth. In Christ’s name. Amen!