Day 82 – Balaam & the Donkey

Passages like today’s can really throw some people. They read something like a talking donkey and can’t get past the make-believe world of Shrek. God sending plagues and doing miracles is within their “view” of what God could (or should) do, but enabling a donkey to talk… that’s just fantasy to many people. Today’s passages can reduce the Bible, in their eyes, to fantastical fable. Don’t make this mistake. The God we trust in in the Scriptures made the universe and everything in it. The amusing way in which He works in this story, using a donkey to speak the wisest words, shouldn’t scare you.

• Did you enjoy today’s reading, especially the one in Numbers 22? It’s one of those stories that, if you haven’t heard it before, you’ll wonder why you haven’t. It’s pretty funny in places. Let’s be honest, talking donkeys ain’t what we’re used to seeing, even out in the wilderness!
• Let’s work through what’s happened, starting with Numbers 22. Firstly, don’t get confused between the two names. Balak is the king of a city called Moab (you may know about this city, as it’s where Ruth comes from). He’s scared of the Israelites because they’re quite close to his city and there’s loads of them. He has seen that the Israelites have recently had victories in other battles, and thinks that his city  might be attacked next. He decides, therefore, to hire the services of Balaam, who is known as a “seer”. A seer is someone who tries to predict the future and bless/curse people, but not in a godly way. Balaam is hired by Balak to curse the Israelites; Balak thinks that this means they would not win any future battle against the Moabites.
• What kind of relationship did Balaam have with God? Do you think Balaam loved God? Consider that, at the second time of asking, Balaam decided to go to Balak (Numbers 22:21) despite God’s clear earlier instruction not to (verse 12).
• Balaam clearly wanted to go to do the job as he would have earned a lot of money. What proviso does God give him in Numbers 22:20 as he headed off?
• God becomes angry with Balaam in Numbers 22:22. Why? Didn’t verse 20 indicate that God said he could go? This takes a little bit of reading between the lines. The passage in 2 Peter will help you, as will your study bible notes.
• Tell yourself the story of what happened in verses 22-35. It’s really funny. Imagine how annoyed Balaam was at his donkey refusing to do what he wants, and then having his pride completely burst by a donkey, usually considered a classically dumb/slow animal, out-arguing him?
• What might the bible saying to us by showing a donkey having more insight and knowledge than the mystical Balaam?
• What what was the whole point of this? What lesson was God teaching Balaam on his journey? Do you think God was trying to make Balaam understand that he was doing what God wanted him to do because He’s God, not for the money he was going to get from Balak?
• What did Balaam end up doing in chapter 23? Did he bless or curse the Israelite people? What was the enraged response of King Balak?

I love reading about Balak’s reaction. Imagine the scene. Balak has finally persuaded Balaam to come to him to earn a load of cash by cursing, he hopes, the Israelites. Balaam stands up in Numbers 23:7-10 and proceeds to bless them instead! Look at Balak’s reaction in verse 11 – he’s really annoyed! This then repeats (verses 18-24, and Balak’s reaction in verse 25). If you fancy reading on, it happens again in chapter 24 (I love how Balak can’t do anything about it and just storms off home in Numbers 24:25).

It’s a funny story (well, I liked it!). Look at how God can use non-faithful people – people who want for themselves and not God – for his own good. Balaam is far from good, showing greed and poor judgement. Nevertheless, he ends up working for God. See too how God uses the most unlikely source – a donkey! – to give His commands and message. God can do anything. He can use us, and situations, that we would never think of as good or worthy. Take great confidence in that, and ask God how He might use you, even in your sinful moments, to give Him glory in this world.

This, by the way, isn’t the last we hear of Balaam in the bible. Numbers 31:16 shows he tried to lead people away from God again, and died (Numbers 31:8) as a consequence.