Don't beat the donkey!
The message for me today that I want to share with you is, "Don't beat the donkey!"
You may know the story of Balak and Balaam. Balak was a Moabite king and Balaam was a prophet whom Balak asked to curse Israel. Balak sent officials to summon Balaam and brought money to pay him for the service. To his credit, Balak had the presence of mind to tell them to stay all night there with him to give him a chance to seek the Lord.
God gave an answer.
“Do not go with them," God said to Balaam, "You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.” (verse 12)
Balak's officials went back to tell Balak what Balaam said. Balak sent them back with more money, but still he refused. And Balaam asked them to stay all night one more time while he asked God again what to do.
“Since these men have come to summon you, go with them," God told Balaam.but do only what I tell you.” (verse 20)
Then, in verse 21, the Bible says that Balaam "saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials." Then the passage says, "God was very angry when he went..." Why was he angry, you might ask. Didn't God tell him to go with them?
It is significant to note that God did not simply tell Balaam to "saddle his donkey and go." He told him to go with the men and to "do only what I tell you." Balaam saddled his donkey and went before he sought the Lord to ask what he wanted him to do. So the angel of the Lord went to stand in front of Balaam and his donkey. This is where the animal abuse begins.
The first time Balaam beat the donkey was when it turned turned off the road into a field to avoid running into the angel of the Lord, standing there with a sword in his hand. We don't know what Balaam beat the donkey with. Perhaps it was a stick, or perhaps back in those days they had a special implement to beat donkeys with.
"Stupid donkey, what are you doing?" Balaam must have been thinking.
The second time Balaam beat the donkey was when the donkey entered into a narrow pathway with walls on each side side. In attempting to avoid walking into the angel of the Lord, the donkey crushed Balaam's foot against the wall.
"Ouch," Balaam must have said, or something worse. I guess I'd be mad too.
Extreme measures were required for the donkey the third time. This time, when the angel of the Lord stood in the way of the donkey in a narrow path where he could turn neither right nor left, the donkey lay down on the road. This was just too much for Balaam. Out came the rod and Balaam beat the donkey a third time. This was "strike three, you're out" for Balaam. This time God gave the donkey a voice to speak to Balaam.
“What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?” the donkey said. "If I had a knife I would kill you," Balaam said. God is so patient. The donkey continued to reason with Balaam.
“Am I not your own donkey," the donkey said, "which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”
"No," Balaam said.
Finally, the Lord opened Balaam's eyes so he saw the angel of the Lord.
"Why have you beaten your donkey these three times?" the angel of the Lord then asked Balaam, "I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times ... If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it (the donkey).”
Finally, Balaam confesses his sin.
"I have sinned," he said. "I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.' The angel of the LORD does not say to go back but to go ahead with the men.
"Go with the men but speak only what I tell you," the Lord says. So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.
Some of you may be old enough to remember Poncho, Cisco Kid's friend. He was always saying, "Let's went."
Better advice for us would be, "Let's not went. Let's pray." Let's not just saddle the donkey and go. God wants us to seek him in all things and do and speak only what He tells us to do and speak.
Don't beat the donkey. Your circumstances may be opposing you for a reason. God may want you to seek him and to speak only what he tells you to speak and do only what he tells you to do. Instead of getting up and saddling your donkey and going (through the motions, about your business, etc), why not seek the Lord and ask him to tell us what to do and what to speak? And just a reminder (this is for me, too).
"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (Joshua 1:8 NIV)
You may know the story of Balak and Balaam. Balak was a Moabite king and Balaam was a prophet whom Balak asked to curse Israel. Balak sent officials to summon Balaam and brought money to pay him for the service. To his credit, Balak had the presence of mind to tell them to stay all night there with him to give him a chance to seek the Lord.
God gave an answer.
“Do not go with them," God said to Balaam, "You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.” (verse 12)
Balak's officials went back to tell Balak what Balaam said. Balak sent them back with more money, but still he refused. And Balaam asked them to stay all night one more time while he asked God again what to do.
“Since these men have come to summon you, go with them," God told Balaam.but do only what I tell you.” (verse 20)
Then, in verse 21, the Bible says that Balaam "saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials." Then the passage says, "God was very angry when he went..." Why was he angry, you might ask. Didn't God tell him to go with them?
It is significant to note that God did not simply tell Balaam to "saddle his donkey and go." He told him to go with the men and to "do only what I tell you." Balaam saddled his donkey and went before he sought the Lord to ask what he wanted him to do. So the angel of the Lord went to stand in front of Balaam and his donkey. This is where the animal abuse begins.
The first time Balaam beat the donkey was when it turned turned off the road into a field to avoid running into the angel of the Lord, standing there with a sword in his hand. We don't know what Balaam beat the donkey with. Perhaps it was a stick, or perhaps back in those days they had a special implement to beat donkeys with.
"Stupid donkey, what are you doing?" Balaam must have been thinking.
The second time Balaam beat the donkey was when the donkey entered into a narrow pathway with walls on each side side. In attempting to avoid walking into the angel of the Lord, the donkey crushed Balaam's foot against the wall.
"Ouch," Balaam must have said, or something worse. I guess I'd be mad too.
Extreme measures were required for the donkey the third time. This time, when the angel of the Lord stood in the way of the donkey in a narrow path where he could turn neither right nor left, the donkey lay down on the road. This was just too much for Balaam. Out came the rod and Balaam beat the donkey a third time. This was "strike three, you're out" for Balaam. This time God gave the donkey a voice to speak to Balaam.
“What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?” the donkey said. "If I had a knife I would kill you," Balaam said. God is so patient. The donkey continued to reason with Balaam.
“Am I not your own donkey," the donkey said, "which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”
"No," Balaam said.
Finally, the Lord opened Balaam's eyes so he saw the angel of the Lord.
"Why have you beaten your donkey these three times?" the angel of the Lord then asked Balaam, "I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times ... If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it (the donkey).”
Finally, Balaam confesses his sin.
"I have sinned," he said. "I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.' The angel of the LORD does not say to go back but to go ahead with the men.
"Go with the men but speak only what I tell you," the Lord says. So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.
Some of you may be old enough to remember Poncho, Cisco Kid's friend. He was always saying, "Let's went."
Better advice for us would be, "Let's not went. Let's pray." Let's not just saddle the donkey and go. God wants us to seek him in all things and do and speak only what He tells us to do and speak.
Don't beat the donkey. Your circumstances may be opposing you for a reason. God may want you to seek him and to speak only what he tells you to speak and do only what he tells you to do. Instead of getting up and saddling your donkey and going (through the motions, about your business, etc), why not seek the Lord and ask him to tell us what to do and what to speak? And just a reminder (this is for me, too).
"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (Joshua 1:8 NIV)
Comments
Post a Comment