Balaam & the Donkey
Notes
Transcript
Perhaps you have heard me talk about my infamous cross-country run in high school…I ran the wrong way in ignorance, only to find out that I was dreadfully wrong.
Setting The Scene
Setting The Scene
Our story this morning will be that of Numbers 22:20-35. Before reliving the story, we must familiarize ourselves with some of the main characters. Our characters will be:
Balaam, a ‘seer’, a prophet who would speak blessings or curses for the purpose of gain
Balak, King of Moab who would stop at nothing to ensure that the other kingdoms would not destroy and overthrow his own
Israel, a people that Yahweh, a specific God, promised would have a people and a land.
We’ll meet some other characters along the way, but for now, this will suffice to allow us to move toward the setting.
The book of Numbers continues a story that has been being told from Genesis and will not be completed as a narrative until 2 Kings. Within this story, one God has created people for good. The people have become bad, and God (also called Yahweh), has put a plan in place to bless the entire world, by choosing a people and giving them a land. He does this to demonstrate his faithfulness, holiness, and awesomeness. At this stage in his plan, his people have been set free, with the hope of a new homeland on the horizon. Even despite the promise of hope, the people still don’t exhibit much faith in Yahweh. In fact, on the brink of entering the land, they caused themselves to enter forty years after their anticipated arrival.
Nonetheless, at this time in the story, their arrival seems imminent. But, as they go further into the land, their opposition plots, seeking to find a way to free them from their fear and rid themselves of the threat of the Israelites. They seek out Balaam, though at first he doesn’t go because Yahweh says no. But, desperate it seems, they seek him out again. Yahweh has been insistent that Balaam won’t be cursing the Israelites, as we have seen that they must carry his blessing to the nations. Upon their second arrival, Balaam declines again, but offers them some lodging for the night.
Reliving the Story
Reliving the Story
God came to Balaam that night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them, but the word that I will say to you, that you must do.”
But the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you may only speak the word that I will speak to you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
Then God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him.
And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, so the donkey turned aside from the road and went into the field. But Balaam beat the donkey, to make her turn back to the road.
Then the angel of the Lord stood in a path among the vineyards, where there was a wall on either side.
And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pressed herself into the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he beat her again.
Then the angel of the Lord went farther, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left.
When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she crouched down under Balaam. Then Balaam was angry, and he beat his donkey with a staff.
Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”
And Balaam said to the donkey, “You have made me look stupid; I wish there were a sword in my hand, for I would kill you right now.”
The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey that you have ridden ever since I was yours until this day? Have I ever attempted to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”
Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand; so he bowed his head and threw himself down with his face to the ground.
The angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you because what you are doing is perverse before me.
The donkey saw me and turned from me these three times. If she had not turned from me, I would have killed you but saved her alive.”
Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood against me in the road. So now, if it is evil in your sight, I will go back home.”
Seeing Balaam Through
Seeing Balaam Through
They killed the kings of Midian in addition to those slain—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—five Midianite kings. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.
Dead...
Look, these people through the counsel of Balaam caused the Israelites to act treacherously against the Lord in the matter of Peor—which resulted in the plague among the community of the Lord!
Deceitful...
I refused to respond to Balaam; he kept prophesying good things about you, and I rescued you from his power.
Defeated...
By forsaking the right path they have gone astray, because they followed the way of Balaam son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness,
Downright greedy...
The Intersection
The Intersection
Consider your path.
Ignorant, or can you see the opposition in front of you?
Are you the donkey, or Balaam?
Consider who seemed to be the one that responded correctly.
Be like the donkey.
God’s purpose of blessing will not be thwarted.
The LORD’s people would not be destroyed but would take over the land.
Through this people, LORD would raise up a Christ, who would come rule over the world as the true prophet, priest, king who is Jesus. He lived, and died, taking a curse, so that others would be blessed.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”)
in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we could receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.
Final Resolve
Final Resolve
So, consider your path, be like the donkey, and believe in Jesus who turns all curses into blessings.