BALAAM...Part III

If you are just tuning in, for the past couples of days we have been discussing Balaam of Balaam's Ass and what practical values we can glean from this account.

Oh...and please don't be put off by the huge diamond eye of Part II. It is not some icon to invite satanic influences into your home. I thought that the eye portrayed ... Greed :-)

Okay, where did we leave off? ... Yes, with Balaam skipping off to King Balak, as if Jehovah has actually granted him permission to curse the Isrealites!

Really, verse 21 doesn't state that he went "skippedly." I took artistic license. But you will gather his intentions later in the story.

Okay, so now we have Balaam on the donkey.

Verse 22 says:

"But God's anger blazed because he was going, and Jehovah's angel stationed himself in the road to resist him. Now Balaam was riding on his donkey, and two of his attendants were with him."

Here we go!

Verse 23..."donkey saw Jehovah's angel...with a drawn sword in his hand, it tried to turn off the road into the field. But Balaam began to beat" him.

Next, in verses 24, 25, the angel moved into a narrow path between two vineyards,  with stone walls on both sides. The donkey squeezed itself against the wall, jamming Balaam's foot against the wall.

Ouch ... for both Balaam's foot and the donkey, since Balaam beat him some more!

Lastly,  in verses 26-31, the angel stood in a place where the wise donkey could not go either left or right. He did what he had to do..."It lay down."

Probably wanted to cover its head from Balaam's blows, but chose those instead of a sword.

(A good and true connotation for the term "wise ass." He truly was one!)

Imagine ... when he began to speak up for himself, Balaam actually conversed with him!

Now if my donkey starting speaking to me...

Anyway, they had this conversation on why Balaam chose to beat his loyal donkey three times, when Jehovah reveals what the donkey has seen all along.

Now Balaam gets it!

Verse 31 says:

"At once he bowed low and prostrated himself on his face."

The angel went on to explain in verse 33:

"Supposing it had not turned away from me! By now I would have killed you and let the donkey live."

Let's stop here a moment to rethink. 

Did not Jehovah say in verse 20 that he could go? What made him blaze in anger?

Proverbs 17:3 explains:

"Jehovah is the examiner of hearts."

Verse 35 says:

"But Jehovah's angel said to Balaam: "Go with the men, but you may speak only the words that I tell you."

Do you think Balaam got the point?

How many times have we prayed for something that we seriously desired, knowing all along that it's not in our best interest or in the best interests of a majority?

Do we push ahead, hoping to still receive God's blessing, despite all indications that it's not his desire?

Micah 6:8 says:

"He has told you, O man, what is good.
And what is Jehovah requiring of you?
Only to exercise justice, to cherish loyalty,
And to walk in modesty with your God."

Was this Balaam's intent?

Stay tuned!