It would appear at first glance that Balaam is an innocent player in this drama who happens to get it rough from all sides! Balak ends up not liking him at all. He does what God tells him to do and then God becomes angry with him! He just can’t get a break. However, that’s not exactly what is going on. Balaam is not as innocent as he may appear. Remember God has already told Balaam not to go with Balak to curse Israel because they are blessed. Balak, however, does not want to take “no” for an answer. So he sends another delegation with much more pomp and more in their purse for Balaam.
Here is where Balaam should have sent them packing just as the first group. He couldn’t pull himself to do it though; the reward of going was too great. So he tried to bargain with God. God told him to go ahead this time. Why? It seems this is one of those times where God is saying, “If that’s what you really want to do instead of listening to me, go ahead!” The reason that seems to be the case is because when Balaam goes, God becomes angry.
What is happening here? In Jude, the Bible says that the people trying to corrupt the church were just like Balaam. They had “abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error” (v11). Balaam’s error was that he thought he could go along with Balak, get his money, and still please God by delivering to Balak God’s Word. However, as Balaam had to learn, you cannot serve God and money! Let’s learn from Balaam and not enter into a bargaining game with God. When we do, it just reveals that we are not satisfied with God and God may just give us what we are asking!
This is such a marvelous story to tell to children, especially those who have never heard it before! I love how wide their eyes get with the story of how Balaam is just sooo impressed with those princes and all their fine jewelry. He wheedles his way through his prayers, gets the "go ahead" that he wants so badly and starts his donkey off following the messengers. But, how embarassing!! His donkey just won't behave!! He feels like a fool when he sees the princes' raised eyebrows at this famous magician and his disobedient donkey!! He is just fuming inside and finally beats the poor donkey, and (I look for the faces of the few children who have never heard the next part!) she turns her head as far around as she can to look Balaam in the eye in a way she never has before and asks him why she is being beaten! Balaam is so furious that he doesn't even stop to wonder at his amazing talking donkey, he just answers her back!! I wonder if the princes of Balak also see the angel of the LORD, or if God lets them watch Balaam bowing and offering to go back to... well, nobody they could see?? I also wonder if the donkey muttered, "told you so" as they started back down the road!
ReplyDeleteIt's a tougher story to explain to children (!) and something we don't find out until several chapters later (31:16) but Balaam for all of his fine TALK about God, was a real slimebucket. He makes a suggestion to King Balak that since the cursing idea didn't work he might just send some of his prettiest girls to invite the Israelite men to come to parties (honoring their gods). Then Balak can just let God's punishment work for the desired curse!
It's an amazing thing how greed can completely blind someone. All the insight into God and His character that Balaam was allowed to have never changed his desire for one thing, money.
[I haven't ever taught the story yet, but I would love to have a group of children with walking sticks and a sandbox to act out together the "digging" of the well at Beer (21:16-18).]