JESUS and the Donkey (Num.22)

As the Israelites journeyed into the plains of Moab, the people of that region saw them, and feared them so much that King Balak sent some men to a wicked prophet named Balaam, who was offered money to curse the Israelites.  Balaam told the men to stay overnight while he made some "inquiries"...

     (Numbers 22:9-13)  Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” 10 Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent word to me, 11 ‘Behold, there is a people who came out of Egypt and they cover the surface of the land; now come, curse them for me; perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them out.’” 12 God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”  13 So Balaam arose in the morning and said to Balak’s leaders, “Go back to your land, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

When the men gave this message to King Balak, he sent more important men to Balaam, asking him to return with them and the king would honor him very richly.  Balaam spoke with God again, and this time God said that he could go back with the men - but Balaam was ONLY to do what God told him.  So in the morning Balaam saddled up his donkey and set off with the men.

Right away, we see that this action angered God.  Why?  Well, 2 Peter chapter 2 gives us insight...

     (2 Peter 2:1..., 12-16)  But false prophets also arose among the people...  But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, 13 suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children; 15 forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet...

God knows our hearts and intentions;  and knowing Balaam's, angered Him...

     (Numbers 22:22-23)0  But God was angry because he was going, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand...

The LORD opened the donkey's eyes to see THE angel of the LORD (Jesus of the Old Testament) standing in its way... with a drawn sword.  Much later, when Jesus came to earth as 100% man and 100% God, He came in humility - Mary was put on a donkey for the trek to Bethlehem - to be born in a stable... Later, near the end of His ministry on earth, Jesus rode in on a donkey - signifying "peace", Jesus was offering Himself to the Israelites as their perfect King;  BUT the people rejected Him.  They were wanting the mighty warrior King with the sword.  Jesus was going to show His strength and power by doing something so much greater.  And then, one day, at the end of the Tribulation, Jesus will ride in on a war horse.  More on that much much later.  The point is - here with Balaam, Jesus demonstrates His fiery strength and power with a sword!

The donkey veered three times, refusing to move forward any further.  When Balaam started to beat the donkey...

     (Numbers 22:28-30)  the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” 29 Then Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a mockery of me! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now.” 30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I ever been accustomed to do so to you?” And he said, “No.”

What I find amusing is that Balaam thinks nothing of arguing with the donkey.  And even loses the argument.  Of course, it's not really the donkey speaking, it's the LORD.  Ah, I would think I'd be wondering what was REALLY going on.  Perhaps this is what happens when people become blinded by anger and greed???  Anyway, the LORD then opens Balaam's eyes.  As Balaam speaks, he still sounds wishy-washy about what he should or should not do.  THE angel of the LORD tells him that he's only alive thanks to his donkey, and says that Balaam can still go to the city, but should only do what the LORD tells him to do.

King Balak asks Balaam to curse the Israelites three times, but  just as God spoke through the donkey, God spoke through Balaam and blessed Israel instead - THREE times.  And even though Balak was furious, Balaam helplessly explained yet again that he could only speak the words that God gave him... then Balaam prophesied what would become of king Balak and his people...  NOT good news for them.

What is our take-away from this?  I've been meditating and praying about this, and there could be several take-aways, but since I'm focusing on Jesus, I would say - MY take-away is that I want to be on Jesus' side... with a pure heart and pure motives, I want to serve the victorious LORD of lords and KING of kings who is in control!!!

     (Matthew 8:24-27)  When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. 25 And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” 26 He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. 27 The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”