Balak And Balaam Series

NUMBERS

Balak and Balaam

Numbers 22:2-3

July 12, 2025

Israel was now on the very boundary of the Promised Land. It was just across the river – they could see it from camp.

Recently Israel had had several military victories and now the people of Moab – including their king, Balak – were

terrified. Going to war with Israel was obviously a bad idea, but Balak was not prepared to raise the white flag, so he came up with a plan – instead of fighting Israel, curse them.

He sent messengers to Balaam, son of Beor, who lived in Pethor, not far from the Euphrates: "A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the country. For I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed."

A word about Balaam: Balaam is an enigma – we know virtually nothing about him. He had some sort of a

reputation – enough for king Balak to send all the way to the Euphrates for him, but what is not clear is if this was an isolated incident or a regular occurrence in the larger story of Balaam.

In this story, his connection with Yahweh is unusual to say the least. He indicated that Yahweh was his God and

Yahweh used him to bless Israel, but the story also reveals some pretty serious problems in Balaam’s relationship with God – serious enough to eventually lead to his apostasy.

Back to the story…….

Balaam invited the messengers to spend the night with the promise that he would enquire of Yahweh and report back to them in the morning.

Yahweh and Balaam had a conversation. Balaam was told that he was not to go with Balak’s men, “You will not

curse Israel because they are blessed.”

The next morning….

Balaam: Sorry fellas, Yahweh says no. You’ll have to return home without me.

Desperate now, Balak sent more money and a larger, more important group of Elders back to Balaam: Please come and put a curse on these people!

Balaam: Even if your king drained his bank account, I cannot do anything that goes beyond the command of

Yahweh, my God. However, stay here tonight and I’ll double check.

Balaam and Yahweh had another conversation:

Yahweh: If in the morning the men call you, you can go with them; but you will only speak the words I give you.

“IF” is the most important word in that sentence. Permission was conditional on the elders seeking Balaam out. But the men did not call on Balaam in the morning, they simply headed for home.

Divine permission had been denied, but Balaam – and 2 servants – set out after them anyway.

Now comes one of the great stories of the Bible (Numbers 22:22-35):

Yahweh was angry at Balaam’s disobedience, so an Angel was sent to oppose him. The donkey Balaam was riding saw the Angel standing in the middle of the road with his sword drawn, and turned left, off the road and into a field.

Balaam struck the donkey and turned her back to the road.

They came to a narrow path with walled vineyards on either side. The donkey saw the Angel blocking the path and pressed herself against the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot in the process. He struck her again.

The Angel went to the narrowest part of the path and stood – completely blocking the way. This time, when the

donkey saw the Angel, she just laid down, unceremoniously depositing Balaam on the ground. By this time, Balaam had had it and he began to beat the donkey……..

Yahweh opened the donkey’s mouth: “What did I do to you that you struck me these 3 times?”

Balaam: “Because you made a mockery of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!”

The donkey: “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life? Am I in the habit of doing this to you?”

Balaam: “No.”

Balaam was angry, but more than that he was so singularly focused on catching up with Balak’s men, doing what

God had forbidden him to do, that he was oblivious to the fact that he was having a conversation with a donkey.

Yahweh opened his eyes and he saw the Angel standing in the road with his sword drawn. Balaam fell on his face

and worshiped the Angel to his face.

Who is this Angel?

Clue: He accepted Balaam’s worship….. Jesus.

The Angel: Why have you struck your donkey 3 times? I have come out as an adversary because your conduct is