I’m going to let Scripture tell the story today.
I’ll edit it (shorten it) and put in a few clarifying comments in green. But mainly today just read this wonderful, strange story!
Numbers 22:1 The Israelites … camped in the plains of Moab across the Jordan from Jericho. 2 Now Balak [the Moabite king] … saw all that Israel had done to [to another nation,] the Amorites. 3 [Thus,] Moab … was overcome with fear of the people of Israel. … 5 [So Balak] sent messengers to [the prophet] Balaam … to summon him, saying, “6 Come now, curse this people for me … perhaps I shall be able to … drive them from the land; for I know that whomever you bless is blessed, and whomever you curse is cursed.”
7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination … and they came to Balaam, and gave him Balak’s message. 8 He said to them, “Stay here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, just as the Lord speaks to me …
9 God came to Balaam and said …“You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”
13 So Balaam rose in the morning, and said … “The Lord has refused to let me go with you.”
14 So the officials … went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”
15 Once again Balak sent officials, more numerous and more distinguished ... 18 But Balaam replied … “Although 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.19 [Nevertheless] remain here … so that I may learn what more the Lord may say to me.”
20 That night God came to Balaam and said to him, “If the men have come to summon you, get up and go with them; but do only what I tell you to do.” 21 So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the officials of Moab.
22 [Now] God’s anger was kindled because he was going. [Actually, God was frustrated that Balaam already knew God’s answer, but because he desired the Balak’s reward, he decided to try and persuade God to change his mind. Therefore, God said, “Go with them,” but along the way, God was planning to teach Balaam a lesson. Thus ...] the angel of the Lord took his stand in the road as [Balaam’s] adversary. Now [Balaam] was riding on the donkey … 23 The donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand; so the donkey turned off the road, and went into the field; and Balaam struck the donkey, to turn it back onto the road.
24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side.25 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it scraped against the wall, and scraped Balaam’s foot against the wall; so he struck it 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, it lay down under Balaam; and Balaam’s anger was kindled, [the same words that described God] and he struck the donkey with his staff.
28 Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” 29 Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me! I wish I had a sword in my hand! I would kill you right now!” 30 But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I been in the habit of treating 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 road, with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed down, falling on his face. … 34 “I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now therefore, if it is displeasing to you, I will return home.”
35 The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men; but speak only what I tell you to speak.” So Balaam went on with the officials of Balak.
That’s part one of the story.
The point: God is bigger than us! And his purposes are bigger than ours. So don’t go looking for an earthly reward. Seek first the kingdom of God.
In Christ’s Love,
a guy who doesn’t want
to get scolded by a mule
… or God
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