God promised blessing to Abraham’s offspring. Even though they had grumbled time and time again against him while in the wilderness, challenged Moses, and doubted his ability to take them into the Promised Land, he would keep his promise to bless them, even to the point of making a donkey speak. When the King of Moab saw Israel coming, he sent for Balaam, a diviner, to come and curse them believing whoever Balaam blesses is blessed and whoever Balaam curses ins cursed. But God made sure to keep Balaam from doing anything other than he willed. On his way to see the king he intended to curse so that he might receive the king’s honor and reward, but an angel stood to stop him. Only the donkey saved him and got his attention.
26Then the angel of the LORD went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. 27When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. 28Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” 29And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” 30And the donkey said to Balaam, “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?” And he said, “No.” (Num 22:26-30)
McCheyne’s Bible Reading Plan: Num 22, Ps 62-63, Is 11-12, Ja 5
