Focused On His Own Goals

Some people don’t believe in a god at all and see religion as just a way of manipulating people.  Others believe in gods, and see religion as a way of getting those gods to do what they want.  Priests, prophets, shamans and other religious practitioners are considered experts on manipulating those gods, and one pays for skills just as one would pay for any other specialist. 

This was the attitude Balak had.  He assumed Balaam just wanted more for his services.  Numbers 22:15-17 describes his second offer to Balaam.  “And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.  And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.”  He literally offered to give him however much he wanted if he would curse the people. 

Though Balaam was a prophet of God, he was beginning to see his ministry as a way of attaining his goals.  God had specifically told him, “…Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed,”  the first time Balak asked him.   Balaam knew what God had said, but he still went back and prayed about it again, hoping he could change God’s mind, in Numbers 22:18-19.  “And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.  Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.” He was like a teenager trying to convince his parents to allow him to do something they had told him he couldn’t do. 

Numbers 22:20 tells us, “And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.”  If the men forced him to go, Balaam could go with them, but he was not to say anything except what God told him to say.   Balaam wanted the rewards, and took that as permission to go.  He didn’t wait for them to come after him.  Numbers 22:21 tells us, “And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. “

God was angered by Balaams deliberate distortion of what he had said and sent and angel to punish him, in Numbers 22:22-27.  “And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.  And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.  But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.  And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.  And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.  And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.”

Though Balaam was a prophet of God, his donkey was more spiritually discerning than he was.  Three times she saw the danger he failed to see, and saved his life.  Each time he just got madder at her.  God miraculously enabled the donkey to talk and Balaam was so angry he didn’t even register the miracle, talking to donkey as if it were a person, in Numbers 22:28-30.  “And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.

And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.”

Finally, God caused Balaam to see the angel the donkey had seen.  Balaam had just been so caught up in his own plans that he had ignored everything around him.  When he saw the angel, Balamm finally realized there was a problem, in Numbers 22:31-33.  “Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.  And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.”

When Balaam finally understood what had been obvious to the donkey all along, he apologized and offered to go back, in Numbers 22:34-35.  “And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.

And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.”

Balaam had given his word, to come, and to back out at this point would make him a liar.  God told him to go on, but to make sure he only said exactly what God told him to say. 

Unfortunately, many Christians are just like Balaam, so completely wrapped up in their own plans and goals, they distort God’s word and ignore obvious warnings, becoming very angry toward those who try to warn them.  Like Balaam, they may go so far there is no easy way out, even when they finally understand what they have done.