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The people were camped on the borders of Moab.
The Moabites were very afraid of Israel because they had defeated one enemy after another, leaving a trail of victories since they had entered the land. These facts were well known throughout the land. The people began to fear The Great God of Israel and His people. Everyone knew that The God of Israel did not let them see defeat.
Moab was so afraid of fighting Israel that they decided to band with the people of Midian.
Midian and Moab were usually enemies; but they had the fact that they did not want to be invaded by Israel in common. In order to come up with a victorious plan they decided to join forces.
A Midianite man named Balak (the son of Zippor) was appointed King over all of these people who were about to face Israel in battle.
Balak understood that the God of Israel was with them in their battles, and that their supernatural strength came directly from God. In order to counteract this fact he hired a soothsayer named Balaam, who was a well-known sorcerer, magician and prophet.
Balak asked Balaam to curse Israel.
Moab had been defeated years ago by Sihon. When that happened it was said that King Sihon had hired Balaam to curse Moab. Now Balak was going to seek out this successful soothsayer and have him curse his enemies too.
Balaam was all about a profit. There was nothing he could not do for money. He was a greedy, stingy man. Some people believe that Balaam was one and the same as Laban; Jacob’s Father-In-Law when he had lived in Canaan.
Balak sent his men to Balaam to offer him great riches and honor in return for cursing Israel.
Balaam told Balak’s men that the spirit of discernment only visited him at night, and he invited them to stay overnight and wait for an answer on the next day.
As Balaam was going to sleep that night God visited him and told him not to curse Israel. The next day Balaam told Balak’s men that God had forbid him to go.
Balaam also mentioned that if Balak had been serious about this matter he would have sent higher officers than them to accomplish the task. Balaam was under God’s control and could not leave; but he didn’t want to tell these men that was the case. They might think him weak. He insisted that if Balak really wanted his help he would have offered him much more money.
When Balak heard of this, he sent higher officers and more money.
When this second group of men approached Balaam they were reminded that God had told Balaam not to go; but then Balaam told them if they wanted to wait until morning; he would ask God again. That is what happened and this time God told Balaam to go ahead; but that he would only be allowed to do whatever God told him to do.
The next morning Balaam got up early and saddled his own donkey instead of having his servants to do so. God was looking on and noticed Balaam imitating what Abraham did before leaving to sacrifice Isaac. Because Balaam had imitated Abraham in his hopes of making a lot of personal gain; God called Balaam “wicked.”
Then, Balak’s men and Balaam rode off toward Moab.
God sent an angel with a sword to block the path of Balaam.
When Balaam’s donkey saw the angel on the road with its sword drawn it turned off into a field. Balaam beat the donkey to get her back on the road. She had turned on a path through a vineyard with a wall on both sides.
The donkey saw the angel again and it was standing in the path. This time the donkey tried to squeeze around the angel and the wall and while doing so, crushed Balaam’s leg against the wall.
Balaam again beat the donkey.
Again, when the donkey had come to a tight place in the way she saw the angel standing there and could not go around either side. This time the donkey crouched down in front of the angel with Balaam on her back.
Many have wondered why Balaam’s donkey was able to see the angel and Balaam the great prophet could not.
Some think that animals can see angels; but humans cannot.
Others think that Balaam got his powers directly from the donkey by performing immoral acts with the donkey.
Whatever the reasons; God had decided to disable the donkey; perhaps this was a way to disable Balaam’s means to use evil tools.
At any rate; because Balaam continued to beat the donkey without mercy; the donkey turned against Balaam.
God then 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?” Balaam told the donkey that she had humiliated him and if he had a sword he would kill her right there!
So the donkey continued to reason with Balaam and she asked Balaam “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden since you first started until now? Have I been accustomed to do this to you?” Balaam thought about that and said “No.”
All of a sudden Balaam’s eyes were opened and he saw the angel.
The angel reprimanded Balaam for setting out on this mission to do something against God’s will and also for beating his donkey.
Balaam admitted that he was wrong and in sin and asked the angel if he should return home. The angel told him to continue on the journey with Balak’s men; but informed him that he would only be allowed to say to them what God allowed him to say.
It seems that God wanted to use Balaam to deliver a blessing to Israel rather than the curse that Balak wanted to bring.
God was going to use Balaam for this, but Balaam’s haughtiness and evil nature would not allow a blessing to come through, so God had to humble him first.
Once Balaam was broken and had confessed his sins to the angel; this could happen.
So Balak took Balaam up on Mt. Pisgah to the place where Baal worship took place. From there they could see the whole camp of the Israelites.
Balaam told Balak to prepare seven altars and offer a bull and a ram on each one. It is thought that this was done as a counter move to the seven offerings at the altars that the Israelites had previously prepared.
God appeared to Balaam and placed the words he would speak inside his mouth.
Balaam got up in front of Balak to offer the curse; but the words that God had placed came out instead.
These words were:
“Balak the King of Moab has brought me from Aram, from the mountains of the east saying, “Come, curse Jacob for me and come invoke wrath against Israel.” How can I curse whom God has not cursed, and how can I invoke wrath if the LORD has not been angered?”
Then instead of curses, wonderful blessings for Israel came forth from the mouth of Balaam.
The Midrash records that God made these words so loud that the whole world could hear them.
Balak, in his frustrations with Balaam gave him two more chances and took him to two other places where he hoped the curses could come forth; but nothing but blessings tumbled out of Balaam’s mouth.
All three times Balaam blessed the nation of Israel.
Balak became angry and told Balaam to leave.
As Balaam was leaving he turned to Balak with a prophecy of what would happen to him later; then he also gave a Messianic prophecy.
Balaam’s final words were these:
“I see it, but not now; I behold it, but not soon. A star has gone froth from Jacob, and a staff will arise from Israel which will crush the princes of Moab and uproot all the sons of Seth. Edom shall be possessed and Seir shall become the possession of his enemies, and Israel shall triumph.”
So it was that Balaam who actually hated Israel was made by God to bless Israel.
This same process will happen again too; because those who have cursed Jesus and who did not believe that He was Messiah, will come to bow before him and proclaim that he is King; just as surely as the blessings happened this way to Israel.
It will be just like the time that Joseph’s brother’s bowed before Joseph; and the dreams that God had provided became a reality.
In the end every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is King.