On your journey it is it is vital to live the yielded life unto Yahweh and to take inventory daily lest you and I become like Balaam whose donkey spoke to him during a dire situation.  Can you imagine a dumb beast speaking to you?  Let’s find out more about Balaam and of how the situation unfolded concerning Balaam’s donkey from the book of Numbers 22 beginning from verse (1)”And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.”  (2)”And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.”  (3)”And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.”  (4)”And Moab said unto the elders of Midan, now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field.  And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time” (5)”He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me.” (6)”Come now therefore, I pray thee curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wort that he who thou blesses is blessed, and he whom thou curest is cursed.”  Can you imagine Balaam having the gall so to speak to go and ask God for permission to curse His own people?  What is even more alarming is that Balaam still persisted in asking God if he could go with the princes of Balak, the king of Midan after hearing of how he would be promoted and given great honour if he would curse God’s people, how tragic!  Read it for yourself of how Balaam knew better yet he still went presumptuously before the LORD.  Verse (15)”And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.”   (16)”And they came to Balaam, and said to him, ‘Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:”  (17)”For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me:  come therefore, I pray thee, curse me thee this people.”  (18)”And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak if Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do les or more.”  (19)”Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.”

It is a very dangerous thing to continue going before the LORD to ask Him if He would undo what He has already done.”  (20)”And God came unto Balaam at night and said unto him, if the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.”  Balaam really wanted to go and curse God’s people and this caused God’s anger to be stirred against him.  (21)”And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.”  (22)”And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him.  Now he was riding upon an ass, and his two servants were with him.” Balaam’s donkey had a clearer vision than him because he was blinded by his lust for power and money along with the wealth of this world.  (23)”And the as saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way” (24)”But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.”  (25)”And when the as saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again.” (26)”And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.”  (27)”And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.”

Where ever you are on your journey stop right now (me too) and reflect on how you are treating those whom Abba Father has entrusted in your care, they are serving faithfully in ministry yet just maybe you have become like Balaam and have resorted to being abusive in your speech and attitude toward them?  Clearly Balaam physically beat his donkey and it seemed that if Balaam had his way surely he would have killed his donkey who had served him so faithfully for many years.  Let’s read about this together this time from (28)”And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, what have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?” Do you know Balaam had the nerve to answer his donkey?  This is what Balaam said, (29)”And Balaam said unto the ass, because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.”

You could be serving faithfully in your Church and is being even now being treated just like Balaam’s donkey, who served Balaam faithfully but Balaam beat him and sought to kill him with the sword if he had it in his power to do so.  I tell you, Yahweh will intervene on your behalf like He did for Balaam’s donkey.  (30)”And the ass said unto Balaam, am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day?  Was I ever wont to do so unto thee?  And he said, nay.”  (31)”Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.”

Beware!  You and I must take heed lest we hear these same words spoken to us, (32)”And the angel of the LORD said unto him, wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? Behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:” (33)”And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.”

I hear it resounding, beware!  You and I can learn a valuable lesson from Balaam’s donkeys’ behavior while in the presence of the angel of the LORD and of how Balaam behaved and didn’t even know and could not see the angel, who was standing in the front of his donkey with his sword drawn to kill him.   We can learn a valuable lesson from Balaam’s Donkey!

Selah!