Balaam and His Talking Donkey

I have been reading through the book of Numbers in my quiet time. Today I read about Balaam and his talking donkey, which has caused me to think about some things.

Balaam is on his way to Moab to "curse Israel" for Balak, king of Moab, because Balak is afraid of Israel defeating him and thought that cursing Israel would do the trick. So he calls upon Balaam to do the dirty work. It seems to me that Balaam kind of manipulated God into letting him go to Moab. God said that he could go, but that Balaam can only say what God wants him to say.

I think of Balaam trying to get to Moab as soon as possible to make sure that God doesn't change His mind. Balaam wanted the rewards that Balak has offered him for cursing Israel and he is just about willing to do anything to get that reward.

So anyway, Balaam is finally on his way, he had received God's okay on it and now nothing can stop him, or can it? All of sudden Balaam's donkey completely goes off the road into a field. Balaam doesn't like that at all, so he beats the donkey back on the road. And they continue on their way.

They go on a little way into a place that had a wall on both sides of the road. Again all of sudden without warning the donkey slams against that wall and smashes Balaam's foot in the process. Balaam then again beats his donkey back on the road.

They continue on their journey and come to a place where there is nowhere to go. The donkey fell down under Balaam and just sits there. Balaam become outraged with the donkey and just starts beating her.

Then something happens that has never happened before…the donkey starts to talk. Now that in it and of itself is amazing, but here is something that caught my attention. Balaam talked back to his donkey! Actually answered his donkey! Now think about it. What would you do if all of sudden, out of the blue your dog started talking to you. Would you just start talking back? I don't think so. You would totally flip out! At least I would.

But Balaam was so furious with that donkey that he wasn't thinking straight. So then he just talked with his donkey and she answered and talked with him. It just amazes me.

Now the part that Balaam couldn't see was that the donkey actually saved his life 3 times from an angel of God. He stood in front of Balaam and his donkey, but only the poor, dumb donkey say it and not the man who was supposed to have a relationship with God.

The thing that stands out to me in this story is what anger does to someone. It makes you do something that you wouldn't do in other circumstances. He beat his donkey, which had always been a faithful to him. He then wishes to kill that same faithful donkey. Then he really loses it and just starts talking with his donkey like it's the most natural thing in the world. That is the power of anger.

This story makes you think about anger in a different light. Do you want anger to take control of you and make you a complete fool? It is an interesting thing to think about. It makes me go to God and ask Him to keep me from such anger. What about you?