Balaam , Although a Pagan Soothsayer, Was Used for God’s Purposes

“And Balak said to Balaam, ‘What have you done to me?  I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.’  And he (Balaam) answered and said, ‘Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?’ Numbers 23:11-12 (ESV).  “And he (Balaam) took up his discourse and said, ‘The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, the oracle of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered.  I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near: a Star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth. And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities!’” Numbers 24: 15-19 (ESV).

The context of our focal passage for today relates to Israel’s forty years of wilderness wanderings and dealing with enemies they found in the Promised Land while fighting to possess the land God had designated for the nation.  God had forbidden any of the original Israelites elders except for Caleb and Joshua, the two spies who thought the Israelites could possess the land, to actually enter.  Even Moses himself and his brother Aaron died before the eventful time of settling in Canaan.

Enter two rather unusual characters, both pagans, who play important roles in the real-life drama taking place.  Meet Balak, king of the Moabites, who observes the Israelites camped round about his territory and fears them greatly, for he views them as a mighty and threatening enemy army.  Balak sent for Balaam, a seer and sort of prophet.  And so we meet Balaam, whom King Balak hired for a fee and wanted him to pronounce a curse upon the Israelites.  Such a prophet as Balaam worshiped all the gods of the land.  He was noted for his ability to cast spells, but he first asked God for permission to curse Israel (see Numbers 22:15-21).  God told Balaam, “but only do what I tell you” (v. 20b).

Then enter the talking donkey and the angel.  God had instructed Balaam not to do anything against the Israelites, but he went toward  Moab, evidently with his heart set on the money Balak would pay him for a curse against the Israelites.  It is rather ironic (and a bit hilarious, too), that Balaam the Seer could not see an armed angel standing in the roadway, but the donkey saw the angel and moved aside, out of the angel’s way, thus sparing the life of the donkey’s master, Balaam.  Finally, the Lord God opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel for himself.  The angel told him to go with the princes from Moab, but to speak only what the Lord God told him to speak.  When he arrived in Moab, he met King Balak who offered sacrifices on the mountain at Kiriath-huzoth.  Then Balaam was ready to tell his three oracles.  Each of them was not a curse upon Israel, as Balak had hoped, but blessings upon Israel.  In fact, in the third vision, Balaam clearly saw the “Star of Jacob,” a Messianic prophecy forthtelling the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ (24:17-19).

In nations and in the lives of individuals, events happen for a reason and all are ordained by God.  In this exciting account of the wilderness wanderings and enemy confrontations experienced by the children of Israel, God was in control.  If it took the unusual event of a donkey talking so a human could finally understand better the plans and purposes of Almighty God, then even that was used for God’s sovereign purpose.  You would think that Balaam learned his lesson from the donkey and the angel, and what God caused him to prophesy concerning Israel.  But later, Balaam advised King Balak to send Moabite women to seduce the Israelite men and lead them away from God.  Balaam, along with several of the pagan kings, lost his life in the war against Midian (see Numbers 31:8).

Prayer:  Lord, we may not encounter talking animals and angels with a sword as did Balaam in the long ago, but on every hand we hear many voices that would detract us from searching out Your truth.  Help us to use discernment and clear thinking as we seek to make choices that will honor Your name and help our fellow man and our country to get on the paths of righteousness.  Help us, once we choose the right,  that we can stand steadfastly, with the whole armor of God as our defense against the wiles of the devil. In Jesus’ name.  Amen.