Week 54, Day 2: A Prophet for hire

Today’s Reading:  Numbers 22:1-41

Some thoughts from today’s reading…

In chapter 22 Israel now comes to the plains of Moab, just outside of the promise land.  They are on the verge of entering into the land.  But here we have yet more trouble for Israel.  They have defeated Arad, Sihon king of the Amonites, and Og the king of Bashan.  So when they come into the plains of Moab it is only understandable that the king of Moab would be in great fear.  But their king, Balak, realizes that he cannot defeat Israel without help.  So he sends off to a city thought to be on the Euphrates river (all the way to the region of Mesopotamia).  This would be a far journey and would take a while to get there.  At first he sends messengers to request that Balaam come to aid them by cursing Israel.  Balaam is an interesting person because he appears to be some sort of prophet or priest who God speaks to.  God tells Balaam not to go with the men to Moab because the people of Israel are blessed.  When Balak receives the response he sends another group but this time leaders more numerous and more distinguished than the first group.  They ask again for Balaam to come.  Balak has promised to honor Balaam richly and do whatever he wants him to do.  Balaam’s response sounds good, “though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, either small or great, contrary to the command of the Lord my God.”  But then he goes back to inquire of God again.  I believe that God was angry with Balaam beause He had been very clear in telling Balaam the first time that he was not to go.  Thus God sought to kill Balaam along the way, even though God told him to go with them. 

Later Balaam is warned again to only speak the word which the Lord tells him.  We see from NT passages that Balaam is described as a man who “loved the wages of unrighteousness” 2 Peter 2:15 and that “for pay have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam” Jude 1:11.  Even though Balaam said he wouldn’t do anything contrary to the word of God, even for all the riches of Balak’s house, we find out that the temptation of riches and honor did indeed lead to his downfall.  Balaam at some point turned away from only speaking what God told him to say.  We will see that he paid for this with his life.

Question:  Why do you think God opened the mouth of the donkey to speak to Balaam and also open his eyes to see the angel of the Lord?