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What Did You Say?!

Writer's picture: East Martin CRCEast Martin CRC

Numbers 22:18-31

Verse 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.

 

    Yesterday we left Balaam as he had just been offered a large sum of money to go with the more distinguished dignitaries from Moab.  But Balaam said it didn’t matter how much he was offered he wouldn’t go because God had told him not to go.  BUT he does tell them to wait one more night and he will check with God once more just to be sure.

 

    Notice he says the LORD his God.  It wasn’t as if God was his LORD at all or he wouldn’t have felt the need to ask again just in case God changed His mind.  But He gets the word from God to go with the men but only to do what God said.  Balaam seems eager to go now that he has God’s approval, as he saddles up the very next morning.  But God is mad that Balaam is going.  Wait!  Didn’t God tell him to go?  Remember from yesterday that God had told him no, so it is possible that God was just saying what He knew Balaam wanted to hear because Balaam was itching to go.

 

    But here is where the story gets a little comical.  God is so angry that He sends an angel to block the path.  Balaam’s donkey sees the angel with its sword and runs off the road and into the field.  Balaam beats the donkey and gets back on the road.  Next the angel tries blocking the road where it narrowed between two vineyard walls but the donkey tries to squeeze by smashing Balaam’s leg in the process.  Again the donkey is beaten.  The angel moves farther down the road and stands in a place that was too narrow for the donkey to pass so it lays down.  Balaam is angry and the donkey speaks up.  Yes, he talked to Balaam.  The irony at this point is that Balaam tells the donkey that if he had a sword that he would pierce it only to look up and have his eyes opened to a sword being pointed at him by the angel.

 

    Sometimes we are so focused on what we think we are to do or what we want to do that we miss the truth of what God is telling us.  Our ears and heart are so filled with self that we miss what we would see if our focus was on God as it should be.  Will it take a donkey talking to us for us to listen to God?

 

Making It Personal

    Do you find yourself being stubborn when it comes to listening and obeying what God says?  Do you keeping asking God to show you what you should do when you are feeling led a way you don’t want to go?  What will it take for you to surrender to what God is wanting you to do?

 

Making It Personal Kids

    Do you sometimes pretend not to hear mom or dad because you don’t want to do what they are telling you to do?  Do you like it when people seem to ignore you?  Would it show your mom and dad that you love them if you obey when they first say something?

 

Closing Prayer

    Father, forgive us for the times we ignore You because You are asking us to do something we don’t want to do.  Convict us when we start to ignore Your commands.  Thank You for the times that You give us more than one chance when we fail the first time.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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East Martin Christian Reformed Church

510 118th Ave

Martin, MI 49070

eastmartin.510@gmail.com

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