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Commentary on "The 'Madness' of the Prophet"
Day 4: Tuesday, December 1, 2009
In today’s lesson, “Unnatural Confrontation,” Balaam and his donkey have a face-to-face confrontation with the supernatural. The author asks about the significance of the donkey seeing the Angel of the Lord before Balaam the prophet did. One point seems clear, the author states, that Balaam had a “special connection with the Lord” because the Lord still spoke to him in an intimate manner. An application from this story is to be made to the Christian life, of how we can overcome the danger of persisting in following our own wants instead of God’s.
Observations
God knew the manner and motivations in which Balaam went with the Moabite delegation so “the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary.” One of the story’s great ironies is that Balaam, the master of mysteries, the “divine seer” was blind to the only genuinely divine being he will ever meet. But his donkey could see. Spiritual sight is a gift of God, not the possession of a false prophet.
The “Angel of the Lord” spoken of here is mentioned over 50 times in the Old Testament. This messenger appears when God’s people are in dire need. He speaks to Abraham on Mt. Moriah. He hears the boy Ishmael crying in the desert, and brings him water and a future. He meets Moses at the burning bush and creates a nation, and then protects and nurtures that nation in the pillar of cloud. He meets Joshua as “commander of the armies of the Lord,” and leads Israel to victory.
When he appears to Samson’s parents, they ask, “What is your name?” He answers them, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is Wonderful?” Who else could this “angel” or messenger be, but “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” He is the Messenger of the Covenant who always comes to the aid of His people.
And His people need Him again as Balaam moves harm to Israel. He meets Balaam in the way, not as an intimate friend with a “special connection,” but as a deadly Adversary. Balaam falls flat on his face in fear and worship, yet he still feigns repentance. The Messenger tells Balaam to go with the men, but to speak only what he will be told to say. Now that the Lord had produced in this proud pagan a proper attitude of fear, he was allowed to go. Balaam relayed God’s message to Balak when he arrived in Moab, but Balaam shared a pagan sacrificial meal with Balak’s party.
Christians can learn from this story that God has the sovereignty to speak through whomever, whenever He chooses. God’s ability to speak through men is not limited by their obedience or faith.
Summary
- Balaam is unable to see the Angel of the Lord because he is spiritually blind, he has no real connection to God.
- The Angel of the Lord is none other than the Messenger of the Covenant, mentioned numerous times in the OT and clearly spoken of as God.
- Balaam acts obedient and agrees to God’s instructions only on threat of death, but he continues his pagan practices upon arriving in Moab.
- God speaks through men that he chooses for His purposes and is not limited by their obedience or faith.
GO TO DAY 5
Copyright 2009 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised November 29, 2009. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
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