Unnatural Confrontation
Determined in his heart to get the rewards the king offered him, Balaam set out with the men toward Moab. Despite all Balaam’s outward professions of fidelity, which he even might have believed himself, the Lord knew what was going on in the man’s heart and responded to it.
Read Numbers 22:22–34 and answer the following questions:
- What symbolic significance might there be to the fact that the dumb animal was able to see the angel of the Lord and that Balaam, a supposed prophet of God, couldn’t? See Zeph. 1:17, Matt. 15:14, Rev. 3:17.
- Read Balaam’s first response to the donkey after it spoke to him. Think about what was happening. What does Balaam’s irrational response reveal about the true nature of his heart and his desire for wealth? After all, what would most people do were an animal to start conversing with them?
- How does this story reveal God’s grace, even to Balaam, despite his course of action?
A lot has been written over the centuries regarding this, one of the stranger stories in the Bible. Different commentators come away with different interpretations. One point, though, seems clear: Balaam was a man who had a special connection with the Lord. After all, the Lord still was speaking with Him in an intimate manner. And yet, even with this connection, Balaam was determined to do what he himself wanted.
| In what ways, even the most subtle ways, do you find yourself fighting against the Lord? That is, you’re determined to do what you want even though you know it’s not what God wants. How can you overcome this dangerous attitude? |
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