Daily Devotional Tuesday 15th September 2020
by William Moody
Numbers 22:21–38
21 So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.
Balaam’s Donkey and the Angel
22 But God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road. 24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. 25 And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he struck her again. 26 Then the angel of the LORD went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. 28 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?” 29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” 30 And the donkey said 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?” And he said, “No.”
31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. 32 And the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse1 before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.” 34 Then Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.” 35 And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.” So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.
36 When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, on the border formed by the Arnon, at the extremity of the border. 37 And Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?” 38 Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you! Have I now any power of my own to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak.”
Footnotes
[1] 22:32
Or reckless (ESV)
There is an interesting dilemma here. God told Balaam to go with these men (v20), but now the Lord is angry with Balaam for doing this (v22).
Balaam knew clearly it was not God’s will to go and help Balak (v12). But with the promise of more riches he goes back to God because although he knows he shouldn’t be going, he wants to. He is seeking to force God’s hand.
Another likely part to this is, that while God said go, but only do what I tell you (v20), Balaam in his heart was now willing to do anything for the riches. God knew his wicked heart and hence the angel coming to oppose him.
This famous incident, with the donkey three times stopping at the sight of the angel, is to humble Balaam and show that in the spiritual realm this dumb animal could see better than he could (v23-33). Balaam acknowledges his sin (v34) and proceeds now with willingness to do God’s will (v35). Balaam tells Balak (v36-38) that he can only do what God permits.
Are you humble enough to accept that God always knows better than you, or do you try to twist, ignore and get your way around what is clearly God’s will? Think of how foolish and dangerous such behaviour is. Pray about this.
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