TUESDAY 01 February 2022 “Talking Donkey?” Numbers 22:18-38

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Well, hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends as we begin the month of February, 2022, together.

I wonder if you’ve listened to the birds in the morning as they greet a new day and wished you could understand their chirping? What would it be like if we could understand and speak any of the animal languages as they communicate with each other? Perhaps you’ve seen a person speaking with their pet cat or dog as though they were speaking to another person and fully expecting the animal to understand and respond obediently to their instructions, no matter what language they are speaking?

Yesterday I left you contemplating a significant statement by a sorcerer named Balaam who had an encounter with God and was deeply convicted and committed to doing and saying only what God instructed him. “Even if King Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.” (Numbers 22:18) King Balak was trying to convince Balaam the sorcerer to come and meet with him and put a curse upon the Hebrews, who, led by Moses, had camped just east of the Jordan river, in King Balak’s territory, and he was frightened of them. This was now the second delegation King Balak had sent to summon Balaam. As before Balaam sought guidance from God. This time God gave Balaam a different response: “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”

So the record tells us Balaam got up the next morning and saddled his donkey and went with them heading for Moab and King Balak. But God did something very unusual. The record says: “…the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him.” (Numbers 22:22) Balaam and his two servants and the delegation did not see the angel, but the donkey did! Now I can’t fully explain that, but when we are dealing with God and angels, sometimes things happen which fall into the category of the unexplainable, even miraculous. WHY God opened the eyes of the donkey so it could see something the men could not see, I believe, was because God had another important lesson to teach Balaam and those travelling with him.

The record says “When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat his donkey to get her back on the road. Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between two vineyards, with walls on both sides. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam beat his donkey again.” (Numbers 22:23-25) So let me ask us my friends, do we see ourselves in Mr. Balaam? Can you see yourself behaving exactly the same way if you were in the same circumstances? In addition to beating the donkey, can you imagine what you’d be shouting at your donkey? What will it take, my friends, for us to learn that things are not always as they seem, not even always as they appear! The visible world in which we live is not all that exists or is happening around us! In fact, there may be far more going on that is invisible than is visible, as God and all the angels, Satan and all the demons, normally invisible to our human eyes, are busily at work affecting things in our world, do you understand that? Really?

The record tells us Balaam’s donkey finally lay down when the angel blocked it’s path a third time. This time Mr. Balaam beat his donkey mercilessly until he was shocked when the donkey spoke to Balaam, in his own language!! “The LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, ‘What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?” (Numbers 22:28) Now friends, let’s put ourselves in Balaam’s sandals. Look at him, and those traveling with him? Stunned, speechless! A talking donkey? Really? Some of us in America might remember a television program many years ago called “Mr. Ed”. A horse called Ed could speak with his master and did so often, remember?

We don’t know if the others heard the donkey, but Balaam sure did, so much so that he talked back to the donkey, just like people talk to their pets in our day!! “Balaam answered the donkey, ‘You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand I would kill you right now!’ But the donkey replied to Balaam, ‘Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?’ ‘No’ Balaam replied!” (Numbers 22:28-30) Now I must admit that every time I read this story, it makes me laugh. Look at Mr. Balaam arguing with his donkey, and look at the guys traveling with Balaam. I’m sure they think he’s lost his mind! What was God doing here?

The record says: “Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So Balaam bowed low and fell facedown before the angel. The angel of the LORD asked Balaam, ‘Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before Me. The donkey saw Me and turned away from Me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared the donkey.” (Numbers 22:31-33) Now my friends this is a very important event for us to ponder. I’ve underlined the important statement for us to consider, for we must ask this vital question: ‘When you and I are pursuing something God views as ‘a reckless path’ what do we want God to do? Would we like God to somehow warn us, or block our path, or would we prefer God simply leave us alone to experience the disaster He knows is ahead of us on that reckless path?

Mr. Balaam was stunned, deeply convicted, shamed even. He responded to the angel: “I have sinned, I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will turn back.” Now let’s pause a moment here. How do you and I respond when we feel the conviction of the Spirit of God in our hearts and minds warning us that we’re on a reckless path? Do we argue, make excuses, blame other people, or are we quick to repent and seek God’s guidance for making things right? Our attitudes, our responses, when the Spirit of God awakens our conscience and convicts us is a clear insight into the true condition of what is deep in our hearts! Now ponder that.

The record says: “The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, ‘Go with these men, but speak only what I tell you.” (Numbers 22:35) That my friends is a pattern for living a God honoring life! King David wrote it this way in Psalm 86:11 “Teach me Your way, O LORD, and I will walk in Your truth. Give me an undivided heart that I may fear Your name. I will praise You, O God, with all my heart, I will glorify Your name forever.” Here’s another way of saying it I found in Psalm 112:1 “Blessed is the person who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in His commands.” What would the rest of your life and mine be like if we lived what Mr. Balaam was given as instructions? What if we said and did ONLY what God leads us, instructs us, guides us to say and do… everyday, every time, for the rest of our lives?

The record tells us when Mr. Balaam finally stood before King Balak he faced an important decision. How would he respond to the king’s pressure and bribery? “King Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come quickly to me? Am I not able to reward you handsomely?’ Balaam replied, ‘I have come to you now, but I must speak ONLY what God puts in my mouth.” (Numbers 22:36-38) That response makes me want to stand up and cheer, how about you, my “Walking with Jesus” friends?

Regardless of where you live in the world, what if our political leaders had that courage and resolve? What if educators in our schools, or medical care givers, or business people or even religious leaders all had that deep personal conviction and resolve? In fact, I’m going to ask us to pause right here and personally own this… what if you and I had that resolve and lived it for the rest of our lives? How would our reputations, our legacies change? I think we should spend some time talking with God about this. . .right now. What does God want to say to you and me?

Today’s Scripture is Numbers 22:18-38.

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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.

Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.

Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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