The Culture of Hope Founded on Faith
God Can Even Make A Donkey Talk…
What would you do if your dog began to talk to you as if he were human? We used to have a very intelligent Chow who had learned, among other speech mimicry, the two syllables for the word “outside” and used it when he needed to go outside. But it was still two barks. The shape of his muzzle and the configuration of his throat made it impossible for him to actually speak the words as if he were human. There is an incident in the Bible, however, where God made a donkey speak like a human.
In Numbers 22 a beast of burden was given the ability to speak for a short time when Balak, the king of Moab, demanded that Balaam curse the Israelites. God was angry because Balaam went with Balak contrary to His command. He sent the Angel of the LORD to stop Balaam and his donkey (Num. 22:28-31).
The animal was the first to see the Angel with the drawn sword and turned aside. Balaam became angry with the animal and struck her. A second time the Angel stood in front of the animal, this time between two walls so that Balaam’s foot was crushed when the donkey turned to get away from the Angel. The third time the Angel stood in front of the animal, it was in a narrow place with no way to turn to the right or to the left. The donkey fell down under Balaam. You would think Balaam would have been astounded when the animal actually began to talk to him and complain about being struck three times.
After Balaam’s threat to kill the animal, the donkey not only continued talking but actually reasoned with him, reminding him of her faithful service as a beast of burden without complaint so far. It was then that God opened Balaam’s eyes, giving him a glimpse of the spiritual realm. He saw in front of him the Angel of the LORD with a drawn sword, and the Angel’s rebuke brought Balaam to a dubious repentance. While Balaam did bless Israel in the end (following God’s instructions), there appeared to be no will on Balaam’s part to do so. His actions appeared to come exclusively from fear instead of loving reverence for God as he lamented that there is “no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel” (Num. 23:23).
Note that Second Peter 2 describes how false teachers distort the truth, live ungodly lives, and draw the unwary into error and sin. Verses 15 and 16 bring Balaam into the discussion, portraying him as one “who loved the wages of unrighteousness.” Further indication of his status as an unbeliever is found in verse 17. The context of this verse includes him in the final condemnation to hell of such people: “These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.”
God created all things and creation serves God, even to being used in ways it was not initially created for. God created the rules of nature and science as well; He is outside those rules and so, for Him, they are fluid and that is why we have miracles. As Jesus said in Luke 19:40, if these people should withhold their praise, “even the stones would cry out [in praise].”
God is not done with our world, or with us. As dark as the times seem, take heart because He is still sovereign, He is still working His will in us and in the world around us. We see that in the physical unfolding of spring, miraculous awakening after a long, cold winter And we see that over and over again when we pray, see the answers to prayer, and are spiritually renewed by the worship of God that comes from our continuous prayer relationship with God.
