“From the mouths and backs of donkeys”
Fellow Redeemed:
Donkeys are famous for being stubborn. They’re the kind of pack animals that don’t seem to get much respect, probably because they don’t give much respect. Compare someone to a horse, with terms like “she’s quite a fine philly,” or “he’s quite the stud,” and you just might sound flattering. Compare someone to a donkey, with the common terms used for those who act like donkeys, and they probably won’t be too happy with the comparison. To be fair, if you’d ask most donkeys, they probably aren’t too flattered with the people who earn the comparison either. The point being: donkeys don’t often get much respect.
But the Lord likes to use the shameful things of this world to confound the strong and mighty. And He’s given some great honor to donkeys that no cherished war horse ever received. Once, the Lord gave a donkey a chance to speak, and turn a sinner from the error of his ways. The highest honor given a donkey, however, was bearing the Lord Jesus Himself, carrying the Son of God into Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday. For those reasons, today we’ll let a pair of donkeys be our teachers. We’ll consider two sermons from two donkeys. One was with words, dealing with a stubborn sinner. The second was with actions, dealing with the Savior.
The First Sermon from a donkey: words in dealing with a stubborn sinner.
This first sermon for us, from the mouth of a donkey, is found in the book of Numbers, chapter 22. The people of Israel were on their way to the promised land, and one of the local princes of Moab considered them a threat. His name was Balak. He decided to hire a local witch doctor sort named Balaam. Balaam was a prophet: not a true prophet of God, but rather what the LORD considered to be a false prophet. Not because Balaam was ineffective, or had no real power. He could curse with the best of them, and his curses would always come to pass. That’s why Balak wanted Balaam to curse the Israelites. Balaam, like the magicians of Pharoah’s court who faced off against Moses and Aaron, had some dark powers he put to use for money. He wasn’t a phony prophet; he was a false prophet: one who spoke things in the name of false gods, and operated by the power of the evil one.
However, as powerful as Balaam was, he was messing with the LORD’s people, and therefore messing with the Almighty God. And God has powers that not even Balaam could comprehend. In dealing with the Angel of the LORD, Balaam’s donkey turned out to be smarter than Balaam was.
Here’s the account, from Numbers. Balaam is on his way with the princes of Moab to go and do his dirty deed, by officially cursing the Israelites. This is where we pick up with the account in the Scriptures:
21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. 22 But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam 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 road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road.
Balaam probably figured his donkey was just being stubborn. But she saw what he didn’t: she saw the angel of the LORD, and she saw that He meant business. So she turned off the road into a field. She had to endure a beating from Balaam, and so she kept taking him where he wanted to go. He wanted to keep on that journey that was making God very angry. Balaam or his donkey: can you guess which one was really more stubborn and stupid? Let’s go on:
24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between two vineyards, with walls on both sides. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat her again.
26 Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff.
Who would you classify as a grade a donkey here? The donkey, who three times tried steering away from the Angel of the LORD and his vengeance? Or Balaam, who——three times——tried getting her to take him right into the path of His anger? This donkey had to suffer without a word from this stupid man. But the LORD gave her an opportunity to voice her complaint.
28 Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?” Balaam’s so angry with this donkey, it doesn’t even phase him that his donkey is talking to him. She’s hurt his foot, but he’s more upset that she wounded his pride! 29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.” The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?” No,” he said. He should have known his donkey well enough that she wouldn’t act that way without a reason. But again, he’s so concerned with his own pride, that he didn’t even take that into consideration. Finally, the LORD lets Balaam see what his donkey saw.
31 Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.
32 The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her.”
The angel of the LORD spoke up for that donkey. She took a licking at Balaam’s hand, to save him. She could have kept going without any problems, and she would have been spared——but Balaam would have been already dead, cut down by the angel of the Lord.
34 Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”
35 The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.”
This donkey had a sermon for Balaam: it was a sermon of warning. “Balaam, you’re heading for disaster. You’re heading for judgment at the Lord’s hands. And I, your poor little faithful donkey, don’t want to see that happen. I’ll hurt your foot. I’ll hurt your pride. All in an effort to save your life. Why then are you so angry with me? It’s not me who will die at the Lord’s hand if you continue this way.”
That donkey may not have known it, but she exhibited the kind of attitude Christians of all times and all places are to have: James 5:19,20 - 19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins. There’s plenty of times the child of God has to work under your unbelieving Balaam types, who are trying to steer things right into the waiting wrath of God. Godless folk in government, who try steering the nation in a way that makes God very angry. Godless employers, who try steering a business into sword’s reach of the Lord’s Angel. Stubborn Balaam’s in the home——male or female, young or old——who do their best to steer that family right into the Lord’s waiting judgment! And when we try to steer things the other way, we get the same treatment Balaam’s donkey did. Yes, we could just remain silent and go with the flow: after all, it’s their head, not ours, for which the Lord’s sword is swinging. But out of love, we yet are to do whatever we can to turn a sinner from the error of his or her ways, and save another from death.
Maybe we feel about as capable as that donkey, in dealing with the erring. There wasn’t much she could say: not until the LORD opened her mouth. But she first steered one way, then the other. Finally, she just stopped cold. Maybe that will be the best you can accomplish, if you ever find yourself in this donkey’s predicament. But eventually the LORD gave her the words. If the LORD could give a donkey words, how much more so will He give us the words in due time! He never promised donkey kind He’d do that: but to us, His children, He has promised such a boon!
Three times this poor donkey had to endure Balaam’s wrongful beatings. But concern for her master made her more stubborn than him. She would not willingly help in bringing him under judgment. We, too, may have to endure some rather abusive treatment from stubborn sinners: but the love of Christ, which compels us, will make us far more stubborn to save. And may it keep us, also, from willingly helping others plunge into hell. That’s the example this donkey gives us, to encourage us as Christians.
But this donkey also has something to preach to us as sinners. When we’re not the donkey on the bottom, but the donkey on the top——the donkey riding the donkey. When we’re stubbornly pursuing sin in ignorance and arrogance, like Balaam was doing. Oh, when we think it’s our time to shine, here’s the big opportunity, the chance of a lifetime, the big break– a date with someone we’ve always wanted to date, or a job with an up and coming company– ignoring the fact that this “big break” might include a temptation to premarital sex or spending considerably less time with our family or church – we figure everyone’s got to do as we say; go where we want. Then we find those people we rely on taking detours, slowing down, crushing our foot against the wall, stopping cold. O what lazy clods! We may even get so angry with them, we’d kill them if we had the means. Just like Balaam. Because they screwed up our plans. They wounded our pride. Balaam beating his donkey was outright evil. But the way we treat others when they slow us down? Sometimes it’s worse that we’d treat a donkey.
They may be the same people, who——just like Balaam’s donkey——have been faithful to us, never slowed us down before. But rather helped us, and quietly carried us wherever we wanted to go. Yet now, they see something we can’t, because we’re blinded by pride, greed or lust. They can tell this path we’re headed on is one that we need to reconsider. And it’s not their own skin they’re worried about: it’s our life they don’t want to see lost. O, that the LORD give them the words, and open our eyes, that we see our sins as Balaam did. May He lead us to repent, even if it comes from a lowly donkey.
Balaam was ready to go back, when he realized his sin. But it was too late to turn back. The Lord said “go with them——but say only what I tell you to.” The LORD was going to use Balaam to bless Israel, rather than curse Israel. Work this ill-taken journey into good. Sometimes we go so far on a wicked path, before our eyes are opened; we need be ready to go back. But sometimes, we’ve gone along so far, it’s too late to turn back. The Lord instead has us finish the trip, but works it out for the good of those whom He loves, and who love Him.
Balaam’s donkey has a good sermon on turning a sinner from his evil way. May we all take it to heart, so that when we need be turned from evil, or want to turn another from evil, we be rebuked, encouraged, instructed, whatever is needed. Let’s learn from this donkey. But we’ve got another sermon by a donkey to consider this morning. That’s a silent sermon from a donkey that was dealing with the Savior. The other donkey we hear from this morning, is the colt on which Jesus rode into Jerusalem. This donkey didn’t say a word. And when you consider it, it’s just as much a miracle as Balaam’s donkey speaking. This donkey wasn’t dealing with a stubborn sinner. This donkey was dealing with the Savior, the Prince of Peace.
Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’” 4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it
Here’s a young donkey, a colt, that had never been ridden before. It hadn’t even been broken yet. It’s tough to get on the back of a donkey that’s been broken in for riding. To get on the back of a donkey that’s never been ridden and take it through a crowd of screaming people– that’s a miracle. But this donkey gave no muss, no fuss, when the Son of God sat on him. This donkey gave no complaint about the Savior riding on his back. This donkey had no experience transporting people; he was young and untrained. The Savior would not be bearing the sins of this donkey, at the end of that week. As stubborn as donkeys can be, they don’t break the commandments of the Almighty God. They suffer, as does all creation, under the curse of sin that people like you and I brought upon this world. But the work of redemption Christ was doing, was not personally going to be of benefit to this donkey. Yet, this colt humbly fulfilled his little role in the plan of salvation.
Jesus was going forward to give His life as a ransom for our sins, to bear the weight of the sins of the world, to carry our guilt to the cross, and to leave it behind in His tomb. Of all creatures on earth who have good reason to bear any burden from Jesus, it’s us——we for whom He died. Like stubborn donkeys we were born to refuse His will and His way. But His Holy Spirit tamed us with the Gospel, and His grace made us into humble servants. Why should we then buck and bray and thrash about as soon as He puts even the lightest of burdens upon us? The “burden” to hold to His word, to not give up meeting together, to love one another deeply——is that really so heavy? Not when we are dealing with our Savior! The “burden” to support the work of the church, to share what God has given us so that His Gospel might continue among us——the “burden” to bring up our children in the training of the Lord? Why should we be stubborn against that, as if it is such an unwelcome weight?
Sometimes, we buck under the great burden of our responsibilities as Christians, because “we’re inexperienced.” “We’ve never done that before.” Neither had this donkey. But when we work together in matters of Christian stewardship, in matters of evangelism, in matters of Christian discipline, in matters of fellowship, in matters of Christian education, in matters of being a Christian husband or wife, parent or child, whose the one really doing the steering? Whose the one “on our backs” so to speak? It’s Jesus, our Savior. And He ain’t heavy——He’s our Brother, who made us to be children of God. And serving one another in love, that’s not a matter of carrying stubborn Balaams——that’s a matter of dealing with Jesus. There are times to be stubborn: when dealing with stubborn sinners, headed for the wrath of God, we’ve got to be stubborn donkeys. But when dealing with the Savior, and in dealing with the Gospel, and in anything dealing with furthering the kingdom of Christ, there’s no place for stubbornness there. No place. All we need do is to focus on the goal - getting people to the cross. It’s a journey worth taking - a “burden” worth bearing.
This donkey didn’t get too much praise that day; few people noticed that this was the first time this donkey ever carried anyone. But I’m sure that donkey didn’t mind. Because this donkey’s work was to carry the Savior: and when people yelled “hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,” if this donkey could speak, he probably would have joined in. I’m sure this donkey was proud to have just been able to lend his labor to bring praise to the Lord Jesus Christ! As this donkey went on his way, no avenging angel would get in the way. There would be death for the one riding him; but that was God’s plan, and the Father’s will. But just to be part of the fulfillment of Scripture, and the work of the Savior: what else could this donkey ask for?
What kind of servants ought we be, in our service to the Lord? Ah, when we have done all, just to be glad that Christ has become more; we have only done our duty. As Jesus said, So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’” (Lk 17:10) Let Him be praised! And that’s enough! And when serving the Lord, bearing the burdens Jesus has placed upon us, carrying His Gospel and His name into this world, we don’t ever have to worry that an avenging angel from God will get in our way: rather, those holy angels will help us in that work! We can learn a lot regarding our own meager Christian service from this donkey. The reward is in taking others to the cross of Christ - seeing Him go where no man has to go - to face God’s wrath.
These two donkeys had much to tell us; toss in my words and you had to listen to three donkeys today! May the Lord bless His word to us: whether it come from babes, or stones of the ground, or donkeys, or angels, or fellow jars of clay. To Him be all the glory! Amen.
