Balaam’s Story: A Caution Against Instrumentalizing God
“21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. 22 But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.
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.
32 The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. 33 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.”
34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”
35 The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.”
The story of Balaam in the Book of Numbers begins when Balak, king of Moab, tries to enlist the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites as they pass through the Moabite wilderness. Despite receiving a warning from God, Balaam agrees to Balak’s repeated requests and potential rewards, intending to follow the king’s orders. Balaam’s actions reveal a pretense of obeying God’s word while failing to abandon personal desire and greed. During this process, the angel of the Lord appears, blocking Balaam’s path and warning him through the donkey he is riding. Though Balaam ultimately vows to speak only what God allows, his double-mindedness later leads Israel into moral downfall.
Balaam’s story teaches us to beware of using God’s will for our own ends. Like Balak, people often fall into the temptation of exploiting God or spiritual powers to satisfy their fears and desires. But God is the sovereign ruler over all. Even the words Balaam intended for cursing were turned into blessing by God’s intervention, demonstrating that God’s plan transcends human intentions.
In humility before God, we must examine ourselves and seek wholeheartedly to obey God’s will. We should not regard God as a mere tool for fulfilling our needs. God is the sovereign Lord who governs our entire lives, and our aim must be to commit ourselves to His will and purpose rather than to our own desires or goals. We must forsake Balaam’s attitude, relying completely on God’s word, and remember that a life wholly dedicated to God’s plan is the true mark of a follower of Christ.
Prayer: Lord, open our eyes to see You and help us trust in You in every aspect of our lives. Holy Spirit, guide us so that we may obey when You lead. As we offer this day, this year, and our entire lives to You—our workplaces, relationships, and finances—may we rely on Your goodness and faithfulness. Amen.
(Note: This summary was created based on an AI draft.)
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