Out of the Mouth...

An unholy alliance, a nation of thousands traveling the wilderness, and a donkey that talks: quite a story! Numbers 22-24 tells us the story of the evil king of Moab, Balak, and the evil pagan prophet Balaam, AND the donkey.

Balak became concerned for his nation when he heard about the neighboring tribes that the Israelite armies had destroyed in their journey to the Promised Land. This nation was now nearing his own land. Balak didn’t know that God had commanded Moses not to allow any harm to the Moabites. But, because he didn’t know the God of the Israel, or have the humility to ask for mercy, he cooked up a plan to curse this wandering nation.

Balak had heard about the false prophet, Balaam, and sent servants to implore him to come and put a curse on Israel. (This prophet did evil, as Israel later would experience, but in this instance, God had another plan for this unlikely servant.) Balaam refused to go and curse Israel the first time, so Balak sent a second team with a more enticing invitation which included a monetary reward. This time, Balaam agreed to go because God told him he could go if he spoke HIS word to Israel. BUT, as he traveled along, God knew Balaam’s heart wasn’t submissive as it should be to Him.

Then God used the donkey! As they walked along, the Angel of the Lord appeared in the road. Balaam didn’t see him but the donkey did. The stubborn donkey stopped, and refused to go ahead. When Balaam beat him, “the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth,” and finally the Angel of the Lord was able to get Balaam’s attention. The scripture says, “Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes.” This encounter apparently caused Balaam to fear God and cautiously allow Himself to speak only what God was to put in his mouth over Israel.

God spoke through this unlikely prophet four blessings on Israel. The first, “How can I curse those whom God has not cursed?” The second, “The LORD their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them…It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘See what God has done!’” The third, “May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!” and the fourth, “A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.” (meaning the Messiah will come from this nation!)

Charles Spurgeon writes these words concerning this obscure story:

Ungodly men, like [Balak and] Balaam, may cunningly plot the overthrow of the Lord’s Israel; but with all the secrecy and policy they are doomed to fail. Their powder is damp, the edge of their sword is blunted. They gather together; but as the Lord is not with them, they gather together in vain. We may sit still, and let them weave their nets, for we shall not be taken in by them. Though they call in the aid of Beelzebub, and employ all his serpentine craft, it will avail them nothing: the spells will not work, the divination will deceive them…We need not fear the fiend himself, nor any of those secret enemies whose words are full of deceit and whose plans are deep and unfathomable. They cannot hurt those who trust in the living God.

We can have the assurance that because God has blessed us in Christ, we are blessed, and no one can curse us or separate us from His love. Hallelujah!