November 8, 2024
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Numbers and 1 Corinthians? Here’s today’s reading:
Numbers 22 (NIV)
Balak Summons Balaam
1 Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.
2 Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, 3 and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.……Continue Reading
Numbers 21 and 22
Numbers 22
Numbers 21-22
What an interesting account we have here. Balaam is a bit of a pseudo prophet, able to hear from God, but also inclined to his own needs. Everything is fairly straight forward as far as Balak doing what he can to get Balaam to do what he wants and Balaam hearing from God not to go. Now it is interesting that God says to go and then corrects Balaam for going. It could be that Ballam heard wrongly or more likely Balaam was going with bad intent. And it is for that reason that God had to stop him in his tracks so he would listen and not get swept away by wealth. And whenever an animal talks to you, pay attention. I love how the donkey addresses Balaam. Did you think I would be steering you wrong? So Balaam get’s the message and does the right thing by telling Balak he can only say what God says. What a great God who would go out of His way to make sure Balaam does this right.
Cursing for hire seems like a seedy business! Balaam may have been able to hear God but doesn’t really listen to Him! God made it clear that Balaam wasn’t to curse His people but as the fee got higher and higher Balaam was more and more open to disobeying God.
God telling him to go reminds me of when He hardens Pharoah’s heart because sometimes we need to learn our lesson the hardest ways but He still tries to prevent it through the donkey. Balaam’s treatment of that donkey was awful and I can only imagine his reaction when the donkey himself tels him that!!
Balaam is a good reminder for us to not only seek to hear God in our lives but to listen too!
”Therefore please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”“
Numbers 22:6 NKJV
I wonder if Balaam was thinking he could undermine God’s will and purpose if he just kept trying. Balaam does eventually advise the corruption of Israel, unfortunately.
An odd arrangement that he is a prophet who hears from God and who speaks God’s blessings and yet disobeys and undermines God’s will.
Numbers 22