Numbers 22-23

Up until now on their journey to the Promised Land, the Israelites had only fought against physical combatants. But in Numbers 22, the king of Moab, Balak, attempted to enlist the help of a spiritual enemy to defeat the people whom his land feared greatly:

So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the people of Amaw, to call him, saying, “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me. Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed” (22:4-6; emphasis added). 

Believing that he and his fellow Moabites were facing impending disaster, Balak summons Balaam, a known prophet and diviner (not of the one true God), to use occult power to curse the Israelites. (What Balak didn’t know was that God had told Moses, as documented in Deuteronomy 2:9, not to “harass Moab or contend with them in battle,” as they were descendants of Lot.) Balaam seeks the LORD on Balak’s request, only to be told by God that he was not to respond affirmatively to Balak, as the Israelites were a blessed people (22:8-12). 

Balak does not relent, however, sending even more messengers and presumably more assurances of incentives if Balaam would curse these people, vast in number, who came out of Egypt. “But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, ‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD my God to do less or more’” (22:18). Lest we think Balaam to be some upstanding man of integrity who cannot be bought for said silver and gold, he proceeds to seek God for more direction on this matter. (God had already commanded Balaam what to do; did he think that God would be more inclined to agree to Balak’s offer now that the pot had been sweetened?) 

This time, God tells Balaam to go to Balak, but with two caveats. First, he was to do only what God told him to do (which meant there would be no cursing of the Israelites), and next, Balaam was to wait until the men came to him to depart. In haste, though. Balaam wakes up early the next morning to meet the traveling delegation rather than wait for their arrival, thereby proving that God would need to do something extraordinary to get his attention. And what follows in our reading today would certainly be classified as beyond the scope of our understanding. 

Balaam’s donkey takes center stage in Numbers 22:22-30, as she is struck three times by her master for delaying Balaam’s journey to meet up with Balak’s men. What Balaam didn’t know was that, each time, the donkey’s actions were in response to seeing the angel of the LORD. After the third beating, God opens the donkey’s mouth, and she speaks to Balaam, saying, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” (22:30). Then, God opened Balaam’s eyes to see the angel, who tells a fearful Balaam to go to Balak, but to speak only the words that God tells him to convey. So Balaam carried on with his journey, as God intended to use even an evil man like this to silence Israel’s foes. 

As we make our way into Numbers 23, we read of two oracles that Balaam spoke to Balak. Remember, Balak had hired Balaam to curse Israel, but Balaam was now tasked with speaking only what God commanded. Therefore, the first discourse from Balaam to Balak regarding the Israelites spoke of them being a blessed, plentiful, and chosen nation (23:8-10). Balak, disappointed that Balaam did not deliver a curse on God’s people, took the prophet to another location, perhaps thinking a different perspective would elicit a more favorable response. 

However, God’s truths about Israel aren’t dependent on one’s location, and Balaam reiterated that in his second revelation. Speaking to the fact that God does not change His mind and is on Israel’s side (23:19, 21), Balaam affirms that these people whom Balak wishes to curse are a blessed nation that “does not lie down until it has devoured the prey and drunk the blood of the slain” (23:24).

As you read today, think about how those who are in Christ are a chosen, blessed people who are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37). We may not battle against flesh and blood, but there very much is a battle going on in the spiritual realm that our eyes cannot see  (Ephesians 6:13-20). God has given us the weapons to engage in this fight, and with Jesus on our side, our eternal victory has been secured. 

- - - - - -

Journal responses to the following prompts:

·       Warren Wiersbe once said, “A person has reached a very low level in life if God has to use brute beasts to communicate His mind.”[i] Has there ever been a situation in your life when God has had to use extreme measures to get your attention? 

·       In Numbers 23, God spoke to Balaam, even though he was offering sacrifices to Baal. How have you seen God use wicked people to advance His purposes here on earth? 

[i] Wiersbe, W. W. (2001). The Bible exposition commentary: The Pentateuch. David C. Cook. p. 352.