Chapter 2: Balaam’s Donkey Talks Back
Numbers 22:22–35
Q1 - When Balaam finally sees the angel before him, he asks for forgiveness and offers to turn around and go back home. What did the angel tell Balaam? What point was God trying to make certain Balaam truly understood when He sent His angel to stop Balaam? Why do you think God found it necessary to reiterate His instructions in such a dramatic fashion?
A1 - The angel came to warn Balaam that he was on a “reckless” path before the Lord (Numbers 22:32 NIV). (Other versions say his way was “perverse” or “evil” in God’s sight.) After telling Balaam that he could only speak what God told him, the angel instructed Balaam to continue on his journey. Perhaps Balaam was already plotting a way in his heart to circumvent God’s instructions. At any rate, God wanted to make absolutely certain Balaam knew he could only speak what God told him.
Q2 - More than speaking words to Balaam, his donkey actually reasoned with him. Why didn’t Balaam find it astounding that his donkey was speaking to him? Why was he unable to immediately recognize God’s divine intervention in this situation? Have there been occurrences in your life where you were so focused on yourself and your needs that you failed to see the bigger picture?
A2 - It’s likely that Balaam’s extreme anger prevented him from thinking very rationally when his donkey spoke to him. He was so totally focused on his own self and his objective of continuing on his journey that he was blinded to what his donkey was indicating to him by avoiding the angel. Anger can be a very destructive force, not only to those who are on the receiving end, but to ourselves as well.
Q3 - Can you think of other examples of someone whose eyes were opened to see the spiritual world? A dramatic example is given in 2 Kings 6:8–23. Note particularly the happenings in verses 16–17.
A3 - In the account given in 2 Kings 6:8–23, the king of Aram was at war with Israel. Elisha, as a prophet of God, was able to warn the king of Israel as to the whereabouts of the Arameans. When the king of Aram found out that Elisha was doing this, he sent his forces to go capture him. His horses and chariots went by night and surrounded the city of Dothan where Elisha was staying.
When Elisha’s servant went outside the next morning, he saw the great army surrounding the city. He asked Elisha what they should do. Elisha told him not to be afraid and then asked God to open his servant’s eyes. The servant looked, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
Elisha asked God to blind the enemy combatants and then led them into the city of Samaria. There, God opened their eyes to see where they were. The king of Israel evidently wished to kill them, but Elisha told him no. Instead, he told the king to give them food and water and send them back home.
The king prepared for them a great feast and then sent them back to their master. After that, the Arameans stopped raiding Israel’s territory. Elisha, by having the king of Israel do this, managed to defuse the entire situation.
Elisha’s words to his servant in 2 Kings 6:16 (NIV) are words we need to remember, particularly in times of distress: “‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’”